


My heart sings just for you

by exorcisms_are_hot



Category: High School Musical (Movies), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Crossover, Gay Sex, Harry is Gabriella, I'm not planning any smut but like, Liam is Chad, Louis is Troy, M/M, Niall is Niall, Oops?, Smut, The Evans twins are there too, You get the idea, Zayn is Taylor, and there's some ziam there, but it's deffo there, idk how to tag smut, idk?, not loads, the high school musical au none of you knew you were waiting for, you never know, yup theres smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-17 03:34:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3513770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exorcisms_are_hot/pseuds/exorcisms_are_hot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Louis surprise their friends and themselves when Harry lifts his nose from the book and Louis puts down the ball long enough to sing together and fall a little bit in love in the meantime</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever proper fanfic. The title and the summary are pulled out of my arse. All mistakes are my own. Maybe I'll force someone to beta it for me sometime. Oh well. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> This is an au, which means the ages don’t match up, nor does any of the other information, but let’s just roll with it, yeah?  
> Oh, and Harry is a math genius, because why the fuck not.

  
The pen flowed easily over the paper, the light scratching washing over Harry in soothing waves. He was whispering the lyrics aloud as he wrote them, but he didn’t sing aloud.

  
He never did.

  
His reverie was broken by a confident knock on the door to his hotel room, and before he could answer it, his sister, Gemma, and his mum, Anne, stalked in with stubborn looks on their faces. Gemma more so than Anne.

  
“Last day of winter vacation, at a luxurious ski-resort, and you’re writing in that damn journal,” Gemma deadpanned.

  
Harry sighed and quickly snapped the leather-bound book shut before Gemma could take a peek. “It’s not luxurious,” Harry grumbled lamely.

  
“Harry, you’ve spend most of the vacation cooped up in here. It’s the New Years party, only for kids,” Anne insisted, and then cringed at her choice of words. “Teenagers. Go make some friends, Harry. It won’t hurt.”

  
Harry was already shaking his head before his mum stopped talking, which emitted a groan from his displeased older sister. “Oh come on Harry. I’m going to back to college after this. I want to spend some time with my little brother.” Then she pouted.

  
“Are you five years old?” Harry asked sincerely.

 

  
“Wanker,” Gemma muttered under her breath with a fond roll of her eyes.  
Anne shot her a look. “Harry, you’re going. Change into something else and then go down and have fun.” As Harry opened his mouth to object, she raised an eyebrow, and he knew it was a lost battle.

  
“Yes mum,” he said around a sigh.

*********************

Harry tugged self-consciously at the band shirt stretched tight over his chest and desperately tried to expand the fabric of his jeans so they wouldn’t cling, but to no avail.

  
When he spotted an empty couch pushed back against the wall, he wanted to thank the god he didn’t believe in. He squinted against the strobe lights that flashed before his eyes as he fell onto the stiff cushions. He opened the journal to the previous page, ran a loving finger down the line of it, and sighed happily at the indents from his pen. Right as he was about to start writing, a bright spotlight zoomed in on him.

  
“You there!” someone yelled into a microphone, and it took Harry a moment before he realized the person was talking to him. Two people he couldn’t make out grabbed his hands and dragged him to a little stage at the front of the room, where a microphone was thrust into his hands. Harry’s eyes widened in fright as he took note of the screen hanging on a wall a few feet in front of him, showing lyrics from a song he didn’t know. Karaoke.

 

His eyes fell to burn holes in the floor of the make-shift stage, and he vaguely heard someone protest to his right.

  
At least he wouldn’t have to do it alone.

  
The thought did nothing to qualm his nerves, and he felt like crying, or throwing up, or perhaps both. He tried to warn the people in front of him with his eyes, but they didn’t understand, simply cheered louder as the music started.  
Harry stepped up to the mic, and glanced to his right, only to catch a glimpse of Harry’s possible soul mate. He gasped softly under his breath, and the guy snapped his eyes to Harry.  
_Blue blue blue_ was all Harry could think, and like some terrible cliché, _I’m going to drown in them_. There were eyelashes casting long shadows over defined cheekbones, and a fringe was draped artfully across his forehead. The guy looked just as nervous as him, and Harry kinda wanted to wrap him in a hug.

  
Before he could do that though, the music started, and Harry was harshly thrown back into reality. A reality where he had to sing in front of a lobby full of people.

  
He glanced nervously at the lad as he opened his mouth. All of Harry’s nerves slowly drifted away as a surprisingly high voice emitted from the guy.

  
_My hands, your hands_

  
_Tied up like two ships_

  
_Drifting, weightless_

  
_Waves try to break it_

  
Harry smiled a tiny smile at the floor as the lad’s seemingly fragile voice rendered the room speechless.  
But then it was his turn.

  
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cheekbones was about to walk off the stage, so in an attempt to keep him there, he opened his mouth and continued the song.

  
As he slowly grew more confident, his voice got louder, and soon he and the stranger were belting the chorus together. They kept stealing glances at each other, and every time their eyes met, they shared a grin.  
Harry finally raised his eyes from the floor and plucked the microphone from the stand. In return, Blue Eyes simply picked up his mic stand, and slowly walked towards Harry with a smirk. Harry almost giggled aloud as he stepped back and almost fell off the stage.  
Eyelashes looked worried for a moment, so Harry smiled at him, and he relaxed.  
Somehow, they drifted towards each other, and the last minute was spend toe to toe with their gazes locked together. Harry's vision blurred at the edges until it was only him and the lad in front of him, who was smiling so hard his eyes were crinkling at the corners.

  
Much sooner than Harry would have preferred, the music faded until it stopped all together, and cheers erupted all around them. Harry and the stranger laughed delightedly as they handed the microphones back to the host.

  
“You two are amazing together,” he whispered before jumping onto the stage and yelling something unintelligible into the mic that had the crowd roaring.

  
“Want to get some fresh air?” the stranger asked, hooking a thumb over his shoulder.  
Harry stiffened slightly and fought the blush off his cheeks before nodding. Blue Eyes smiled and encircled his wrist with nimble fingers before dragging him to the patio. Harry shivered slightly in his thin t-shirt, but then there were fingers intertwining with his, and flames licked up his arm.

 

  
“I’m Louis, by the way.” Harry beamed. Louis.  
“Harry. Pleasure to meet you.” Louis chuckled and squeezed his fingers. Harry hesitated for a brief second before squeezing back.

  
“Pleasure is all mine.”

  
Louis seemed content to just watch the occasional firework light up the sky, but Harry was getting fidgety. He couldn’t stop staring at the colors as they flew gracefully across Louis’ face. He had to say something, anything, before he did something really stupid. Like smack his bum.

 

“Do you sing a lot? You were really good.” Louis cleared his throat as the very tips of his ears turned pink.

  
“Ehm, no, I uh, don’t really do that. I play football. That’s the first time I’ve ever done something like that,” Louis said shyly, timid voice almost drowned out in the explosions. “But you were amazing! You have to be pro or something.”

Harry flushed bright pink (again) and tugged a bit at his curls. “I’ve only done that once, at one of my old schools. Almost fainted. Had to give up halfway through and go throw up in the bathroom.” Louis winced, but Harry could see the amusement swimming in his eyes.  
“You can laugh,” Harry said.

  
“I would never,” Louis said affronted, but despite his empty promises, a quick puff of a breath escaped him, and Harry counted that as a win. “Hey, Harry?” Harry hummed in lieu of response as a particular pretty firework splattered color onto the night sky.

“I’m going home tomorrow, but I quite like you. Could I get your number?” Harry froze and wondered why he himself couldn't be that up-front. Louis was  _confident._

  
“Yeah sure, here.” Harry pulled his phone out and handed it over before waggling his fingers in Louis’ direction. “Gimme your phone.” Louis chuckled under his breath as he dragged a phone out of his impossibly skinny jeans, unlocked it, and then placed it in Harry’s outstretched hands. Harry punched in his digits before taking a ridiculous selfie with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and handing the phone back to Louis. As his own phone was back in his hands, he was just about to check his contacts when suddenly, people were counting down.

  
“5…4…3…” Louis caught his eye briefly before they flickered down to Harry’s lips. Harry subconsciously leaned in slightly and licked his lips. Louis’ eyes trailed the movement and his expression darkened.

  
“2…1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!” There was a loud bang as the fireworks lit up the sky, and Harry and Louis jumped apart.

  
“I should, uh, go wish my family happy new year,” Harry stuttered. Louis smiled and Harry’s shoulders slumped in relief as the tension dissipated.

  
“Yeah, I should too.” Louis’ eyes widened comically. “Uh, you know, my family, my sisters and, yeah, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Harry nodded and turned on his heel to find his family. He had to bite the inside of his cheek so he wouldn’t start smiling like a loon, but even though he could taste blood, the manic smile still overtook his face.

*********************

“I’m so nervous mum,” Harry admitted as he fidgeted with the frayed corners of his journal.

  
“I know honey, but you shouldn’t be. We’re staying here until you’re done with high school, so you don’t have any stress of moving. My boss promised me we’re staying.”

  
Harry sighed and tucked nervously on one of his curls. “Oh yeah, no pressure. So when everyone finds out I’m a math nerd they will tease me for years instead of months.”

Anne sighed sadly and pulled Harry into a hug. “You’ll do great, love. You’re charming and funny, and you’ll find friends who think you’re amazing. Because you are. If anyone judges you for being good at numbers, then they aren’t worth your time,” she said into his curls.

  
“I guess so,” Harry managed through a sigh, just as the bell rang. Reluctantly, he pulled out of his mum’s arms and send her a weak smile before scurrying down the hall.

  
He got lost on the way, and managed to slip into the classroom just as the teacher started talking. Harry ducked his head and drew idly in his journal as the teacher welcomed everyone back. This was his third school since he started high school, but he didn’t mind all that much. As soon as people found out he was a nerd, he was abandoned and avoided like the plague. He’d always have a few weeks where he felt like he had friends, until they inevitably found out and then pretended he didn’t exist. He would then have to endure being alone for a few weeks before they moved. Didn't seem like that was happening anytime soon, though, so keeping it a secret was really his only choice. 

  
He finally looked around the room, and was slightly taken aback. At the front of the class, a small stage was set up, with a large plush armchair in the center. The teacher, who introduced herself as Ms. Darbus, was sat in it. Behind her, large curtains were draped across the wall. On them were a big, painted sun. Slightly smaller, red curtains encased the big windows and were pulled back with golden strings. Harry whistled softly, and a boy to his left snorted.

  
Harry caught sight of familiar chestnut hair at the front of the class, but he shook his head in denial. No way was it Louis. Harry hadn’t talked him since the party four days ago. He made a mental note to text him during lunch break.  
Suddenly, his phone beeped in his bag, and he cursed under his breath as he bend down to find it. Ms. Darbus got up from her chair and picked up an iron bucket.

  
“Mr. Tomlinson. You know my policy about phones. I will see you in detention. You can help us with our musical. Ah, Mr. Payne, we will see you as well it seems. Football please. Mr. Horan, Mr. Malik, you will be joining us as well.” She stopped in front of Harry’s desk just as he found his phone. He stared confusedly at his screen where it showed him Louis was calling.

  
“Mr. Styles! Welcome to East High. We’ll be getting to know each other in detention.” Ms. Darbus shook the bucket in front of his face, and he dropped his phone in it with a clang. When he looked around the room, his eyes met blue. And not just any blue, Louis’ blue. A great beam broke out on Louis’ face, and Harry found himself smiling back. It was Louis.

  
It felt like hours before the bell rang. Harry hurried to pack his bag and leave the classroom. Louis was already waiting for him in the hall, and pulled him to a stop until everyone was gone. Harry’s brows furrowed in confusion, but it was quickly replaced by excitement as Louis hugged him.

  
“What are you doing here?” he hissed into Harry’s ear right before he pulled back.

  
“My mom got transferred here by her job! What are you doing here?” Harry grimaced at himself, earning a chuckle from Louis. “Obviously, you go here,” he deadpanned and Louis outright laughed at that.

  
“Yes I do.” Louis’ eyes widened and he ducked behind Harry as a guy with a football walked out of the classroom with his face pinched in a frown.

  
“Why are you hiding?” Harry whispered.  
Louis scoffed as he peeked around Harry before finally stepping out. “Hiding? I’m not hiding.”

  
“They don’t know about me, about us singing, do they?” Harry asked. He thought he would feel hurt when Louis nodded hesitantly, but instead he just pitied the smaller boy.

  
“I only told them I was snowboarding. They wouldn’t approve if they knew I sang.”

  
Harry sighed as Louis started leading him down the hallway. This Louis was… different. Harry wasn’t sure he liked him. Of course, he didn’t know Louis very well. Maybe this was the real Louis. How would he know? Maybe Harry had made him out to be this perfect guy, and he just… wasn’t.

  
“Right,” Harry answered a few beats too late. His stomach flipped uncomfortably. Maybe he was a bit hurt after all. He had been griping about Louis the past four days. He had driven his family insane with his inane chatter about Louis, and how they sung, and what a great time they’d had. But Louis hadn’t told anyone about him. He had been too ashamed. Ashamed of Harry. And okay, maybe he was a lot hurt.  
Louis seemed to notice the change in his demeanor and opened his mouth as if to say something, but quickly closed it again. “Can I show you around?” he asked tersely.

  
“Only if you do it with an American accent,” Harry said in an attempt to break the sudden tension. It wasn’t very funny, but Harry was desperate to get the overwhelming feeling of safety and home back. Louis seemed to agree, because he laughed along.

  
“Your wish is my command, darling,” Louis said dramatically and bowed. Harry let out a loud burst of laughter, and immediately smacked a hand over his mouth. Louis stared at him with wide, amused eyes.

  
“I’ve never made that noise before,” Harry squeaked around his palm.

  
“Somehow I doubt that,” Louis mused before gesturing for Harry to walk ahead.

  
As they walked down the corridor, Louis seemed to relax. He introduced Harry to the people they passed, or simply pointed them out if he deemed they weren’t Harry’s type of people. Harry just suspected they weren’t Louis’ type of people. He told Harry which classrooms had which teachers, and Harry got all the juicy gossip on both staff and students. Louis was actually kind of a gossiper, and Harry told him as much, even going as far as to tag on: “you remind me of a teenage girl.”

  
Louis clutched at his heart through his t-shirt. “Excuse you! I will have you know I am officially over my Bieber-fever thank you very much.” At Harry’s raised eyebrows, Louis shrugged. “It’s a disease Haz.”

  
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at Louis’ very serious expression. “Oh god, you’re not kidding,” Harry managed.

  
“Unfortunately not.” Louis came to an abrupt stop at the end of the hallway, and gestured to a poster, proudly saying: Winter Musical.  
“This is Ms. Darbus’ proud and joy. Her musical. If you want to do anything about that amazing singing voice of yours, this is your best opportunity.”

  
“Nah, think I’ll focus on getting to know people and the school you know?” Louis nodded and opened his mouth to answer, when suddenly, a blonde girl was rounding the corner. Her extensions were everywhere, and her bright pink colored clothing was already giving Harry a headache.

  
“Louis! Hi! Showing the new guy around I see.” She threw Harry a fake smile as she pulled out a furry pen from her bag and wrote her name across the sheet, filling up half the paper. Sharpay it spelled in bright pink, and though Harry wasn’t one to judge people, he felt like he pretty much knew her already.

 

“Are you two going to sign up?” she asked in a faux cheery voice, her beam slightly too big.

  
“No!” they both yelled simultaneously, but Harry was gutted when he remembered it was for entirely different reasons.

  
“Oh. The drama club would’ve loved some new faces. I’ll talk to you later Louis. Tootles!” She blew Louis a kiss and then strutted down the hallway.

  
“Hi I’m Ryan,” it suddenly sounded from Harry’s right. A blonde guy with the ugliest hat perched atop of his head was standing there with a friendly smile. “I apologize for Sharpay. She has a flair for the dramatic,” he continued, and Harry smiled when Louis snorted.

 

“I’m Harry. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands and then Ryan hurried after his sister.

  
“He seemed nice,” Harry said.

  
Louis looked forlornly at the sign up sheet one last time before retuning his full attention to Harry. “He is. Sharpay is—okay I guess. Poor girl pretends she doesn’t know I’m gay. Hits on me constantly.” Louis’ eyes flickered nervously at his admission, and Harry realized now was probably a good time to use that speech thing. 

  
“I’m gay too, if that’s what you’re worrying about,” Harry said, and then winced. “Okay, that sounded cruder than I intended it to.” Louis squeezed his bicep reassuringly and there was a little smile on his face. Harry felt like he was being let in on a secret as he stared at the tiny quirk of Louis’ lips.

  
“Nice to know,” was the only reply Harry got before they continued down the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry’s AP math class was tiny. It was only him and another guy who was easily the most attractive person on earth, if he had been Harry’s type that is. He had dark hair that flopped in a messy quiff that Harry was certain had taken him ages to look so artfully dishelved. His long eyelashes almost hid away his deep brown eyes, and he had tattoos running up and down the length of his arm. He was scribbling furiously in a notebook as the teacher wrote a complicated math-problem on a blackboard.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed the bright pink of Sharpay’s clothes watch him from the open door.

His confusion was short-lived as he frowned at the teacher. “14 divided by 5?” he mumbled to himself.

“Yes, Mr. Styles?” the teacher asked.

“Uhm, shouldn’t the 14 divided by 5 be 14 divided by 4?” he asked while straightening his back, and praying for his voice to come out confident.

The teacher walked back to her desk to leaf through some papers while shaking her head. “That can’t be right.” Her finger trailed down one of the pages, and she raised an eyebrow. “I stand corrected.”

The guy next to him whistled lowly, and Harry willed the tips of his ears not to burn.

“Welcome to the school, Mr. Styles,” the teacher said with an impressed smile, and Harry heard a scoff come from the door. He had forgotten Sharpay was there.

When class ended, Sharpay was waiting for him.

“So, you seemed to know Louis Tomlinson pretty well,” she commented offhandedly as she fell into step next to Harry.

Harry shook his head quickly, remembering how horrified Louis had seemed at the prospect of the school finding out he had sung and enjoyed it. “Nah, he was just kind enough to show me around,” Harry said in what he hoped was a carefree tone.

“See, I doubt that. Louis never does things like that.”

“Why?” Harry asked, only partly paying attention as he flipped through his journal.

“Well, he doesn’t have time for anything other than football. He just doesn’t hang out with commoners.” And, wow, okay, Harry tried not to be offended about that. With a flick of her hair, Sharpay made a sharp turn and left Harry alone in the hall, mind reeling. Maybe the Louis he knew wasn’t in fact the real Louis. Maybe Harry had just been an escape, some fun while he was away from his friends.

Harry shook the thoughts from his head. He may not know Louis well, but he knew he wasn’t an arse who would pretend to like Harry if it wasn’t the case. He ignored the nagging voice in the back of his head that whispered: _he’s just too nice to let you down._

That night, Harry stayed up past two to text Louis. It had started out with a simple question. Harry had asked about some homework, and a few hours later, he found himself giggling along as one sarcastic reply after another ticked into his phone.

He fell asleep that night with a smile on his face and his phone tucked between his cheek and the pillow.

 

*********************

 

The next day, Harry had detention. They were all on a stage, helping Ms. Darbus prepare for the musical. He was idly painting a half moon a light blue as Ms. Darbus rambled about the offending article that was cellphones. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Louis lying languidly on the top of a make shift tree. He had a string with a paper leaf attached to the end, which he was using to annoy his best friend, Liam Payne, who was asleep at the foot of the tree, football clutched tightly in his hands. Harry bit down on a grin as the guy from his AP math class suddenly came strolling over. He was smiling, and Harry found himself feeling special for watching such a genuine smile.

“Hey, Harry, right? We have AP math together? I’m Zayn.” Harry smiled and shook the offered hand.

“Yeah, nice to meet you mate.”

“Pleasure is all mine. But that’s not why I’m here.” Zayn reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a piece of paper that was folded in half. He waved it excitedly in Harry’s face and looked like he was ready to squeal like a teenage girl. “The answer is yes!”

Harry stood, stumped, and stared at the paper. “What was the question again?”

Zayn scoffed as he unfolded the paper and shoved it into Harry’s paint-stained ones. Harry send Zayn a weird look before his eyes fell to the page. His eyes widened comically as he was met by an old picture of himself, and an article from when he’d helped his last school win the decathlon.

“W-who gave this to you?” Harry stuttered as white-hot panic started to spread through his body. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Sharpay smirk, and he already knew the answer himself.

“You didn’t give it to me?” Zayn asked, but before Harry could answer, he was talking again. “It doesn’t matter; we could really use your help for the decathlon. We never get past the first round, but with your help, we could win!” he said excitedly.

“I’m sorry Zayn, you seem nice and all, but I really don’t have time for it. I’ve barely started here yet!” Harry squeaked.

This couldn’t be happening. If he joined the team for the decathlon, everyone would find out. They would find out Harry is a huge nerd, and he’d never get any friends. Louis wouldn’t want to be seen with him anymore, not that he does now, but he would stop talking to him altogether. Just the thought made Harry’s stomach knot together painfully, and he felt bile rise in his throat.

“Oh. That’s-that’s okay. Thanks for listening. Maybe we could have lunch together?” Harry nodded frantically. At lunch, he could convince Zayn not to tell anyone about him. “Awesome.” Just as Zayn was about to walk away, a man stormed into the room that Harry recognized as being the PE teacher, Mr. Tomlinson, Louis’ stepdad.

“Ms. Darbus! What is my team doing in that tree?!” he yelled angrily, and Harry watched Louis wince and sit up straight.

“They’re being punished for interrupting my class, Mr. Tomlinson, and they will continue to do so until I deem they’ve learned their lesson,” Ms. Darbus said airily.

“We have an important game coming up in a few days. I need them on the field, right now!” He then turned to Louis and Liam. “You two! Out of that tree! Now!” Louis scrambled down frantically and pulled Liam to his feet, who blearily blinked against the harsh light of the stage. Harry grimaced in sympathy as they hurried down the rows upon rows of red velvet chairs and out the door. The Coach stomped after them, Ms. Darbus hot on his heels.

“Ouch,” Harry mumbled and Zayn nodded his agreement.

“So, lunch?”

 

*********************

 

Zayn and Harry were cutting their way across campus to get to the cafeteria, and Zayn was desperately pleading Harry to join their team.

“Please Harry, you could be just what we need!”

Harry groaned and flicked Zayn on the arm. “It’s not happening. I have to help my mum unpack and my sister is visiting soon. I don’t have time.” Before Zayn could start begging again, Harry threw all caution out the wind and opened his stupid mouth: “what do you know about Louis Tomlinson?”

Zayn froze briefly, but as he jump-started again, there was a tiny smirk on his face. “Well, I would say he belongs to an athletic world that is so far beyond our reach that it’s hard for even me to comprehend. But, I do know someone who can help us.” Zayn speed walked up to a blonde-haired girl and whispered something in her ear. She nodded before turning to the rest of the cheerleading-squad and waved Harry over. When he was stood behind Zayn, she turned to the girls. “How cute is Louis Tomlinson?!” she squealed, and all the girls screamed in response.

“Too bad he’s gay,” one of them said, and as they all started whining, Zayn decided it was time to leave.

“I’m Perrie by the way!” the blonde girl yelled after them, and Harry waved at her lamely over his shoulder.

“So yeah, that would be the cheerleaders, and an accurate description of Louis Tomlinson. He only really cares about football. I wouldn’t fall too hard for him.”

 _Too late,_ Harry thought, but he didn’t say it, and instead smiled innocently at his newly acquired friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.  
> Come visit me on Tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot


	3. Chapter 3

At lunch, Harry, Zayn and one of Zayn’s friends Niall, were all heatedly discussing the deeper meaning of the show _Parks and Recreation_ , when suddenly, there was a tap on Harry’s shoulder. He turned to find Louis beaming at him, a yoghurt perched in his outstretched palm.

“Hey. I remember you saying something about strawberry yoghurt when we were texting the other day, and I saw there was only one left, so I got it for you!”

Harry blushed madly but took the yoghurt with a huge grin. “Thanks Lou. That was really nice of you.” Louis smile didn’t falter as he tugged on one of Harry’s curls.

“Skype tonight?” Harry nodded enthusiastically and Louis leaned down to peck his cheek quickly before bounding off. Harry sat back, baffled, gently touching his cheek where he could still feel the ghost of Louis’ lips.

“Wow,” Niall mumbled around a bite of sandwich.

“What?” Harry asked breathlessly, still staring at the empty space that had been occupied by the freaking sun mere moments ago.

“Louis Tomlinson just hit on you,” Niall continued, sharing a look with Zayn. “You said they were friends, but I didn’t know they were _lo-vers_ ,” Niall sing-songed through a snicker, raising his hand for a fistbump no one was willing to give him. When he started pouting sadly, Harry sighed and let their knuckles touch gently, if only to wipe the frown off Niall’s face. He should always be smiling, Harry had come to realize, only twenty minutes into their meeting.

“You’re ace,” he grinned. Harry felt like he’d been accepted.

“I think I could get used to you too, Irish,” Harry answered, raising a fry in mock salute to which Niall chortled. “But seriously, mate, what’s up with you and Tomlinson?” Niall asked, oddly serious.

“Yeah, he’s never spoken to Niall and I before,” Zayn pointed out.

As Niall shook his head and cast a glance at the football teams table, Harry had a feeling Niall could fit in the group if he wanted. He was loud and spontaneous, bubbly and happy and carefree in a way that made you want to dance on the tables. Yet he had chosen Zayn, which inevitably led him to Harry, and despite Zayn gushing about Harry’s math skills the minute they had sat down, Niall had yet to leave.

“It’s because we don’t have curls, Z,” Niall deemed, seemingly lost in thought as he stared at Harry’s hair where it was pushed back with a scarf he had knicked from his mum.

Zayn sighed deeply and leaned heavily against Niall’s shoulder. “Whatever shall we do, Nialler?”

Harry threw a fry at Zayn who snuffed angrily when it landed in his hair. “I hadn’t had you pegged as a sarcastic little shit,” Harry grumbled at the dark-skinned boy, who beamed in a way entirely too bright for a rainy day in school.

“Don’t change the subject!” Niall crowed, throwing his arms out to catch Harry and Zayn’s attention. He made a water bottle topple over, but even as liquid gushed out and Harry hurried to right it, Niall seemed intent on talking more about Louis. “Why is he so hung up on you? What’s going on?” Harry shrugged uselessly, unwrapping the scarf and using it to mop up the water.

“How would I know?” Harry mumbled as he wrinkled his nose at the drenched fabric.

“Zayn! Round up Payno and let’s ask him.” Zayn froze at the mention of the other boy, Louis’s best friend if Harry wasn’t mistaken.

Zayn quickly let his tense shoulders drop though, and his voice sounded oddly nonchalant when he addressed Niall, “Why would I do that? I don’t even know him.” Niall snorted.

“Right.” Zayn scowled evilly at the blond, and where Harry would’ve cowered under the scornful gaze, Niall merrily smiled at Zayn and dug back into his sandwich. Harry was about to open his mouth and pry, but Zayn send him a pleading look, and he decided to file it away for later.

 

*********************

 

The next day found Harry sitting in the back of Ms. Darbus’s class, watching as Sharpay handed what looked like a thermos with soup in it to the teacher before sashaying her way back to her seat. Louis send him and odd look as if saying _did you see that?_ and as Harry giggled, he pretended the butterflies in his stomach was _definitely_ not from the grin Louis send him back. He watched amused as Ms. Darbus had to quite literally shove Louis into his seat, and the boy was turning immediately so he could keep smiling at Harry over his shoulder.

Harry was so besotted.

“I hoped you all learned a lesson at detention! If not, I’m sure we can find something for you to paint. For now, I have exciting news,” Ms. Darbus said as she started pacing around the room, arms flung to the side as she gestured at this and that. “Now, today at free period after lunch, there will be auditions for our winter musi-cal!” Harry and Louis shared a look. Last night’s skype conversation had also been about imitating Ms. Darbus’s odd pronunciation. “Solos and pairs,” she continued, and Sharpay wiggled in her seat excitedly, grinning at a notably more controlled Ryan over her shoulder. “If anyone wish to audition but have yet to write their names on the sheet, I will allow for an impromptu audition. That is all!”

 

*********************

 

After lunch, Harry found himself squashed between Zayn and the rest of the decathlon team, as they desperately tried to convince him to help them. When someone spat him in the eye, he flailed out of his seat and claimed he had homework. He hurried out of the library and down the hall, and suddenly found himself standing in the hallway leading to the auditorium. Ahead of him, Louis was crouching behind a janitor’s cart of some sort, with a large mop that Louis ducked behind every few seconds.

“What are you doing?” Harry asked with a smile on his face, that only broadened when Louis squealed in fright and clutched his chest as his eyes snapped to Harry.

He seemed to fumble for words, until he seemingly decided Harry was worthy of the truth. “Well, I wanted to see the auditions. Check if maybe you decided to go. Didn’t wanna be seen, though. Would be a bit creepy,” he chuckled nervously and scratched at his neck, where his hair was curling slightly.

“So basically, you were trying to spy on me?” A blush spread on Louis’s cheeks rapidly, but he didn’t try to defend himself.

“Why are _you_ here?” he countered.

Harry shrugged and walked the last few steps so he could fall to his knees next to Louis. “Some of Zayn’s friends couldn’t quite control their bodily fluids.”

Louis was silent for a beat before he cracked up. “What?!” Harry squeaked indignantly and then immediately cleared his throat.

“Are you saying they were jacking off on you?” Louis managed to choke out, that _damn_ mischievous glint in his eyes.

Harry’s eyes widened and he started spluttering uselessly and Louis _kept laughing._ “Oh god you’re adorable,” he said off-handedly, poking Harry’s cheek until he started smiling and Louis’s finger slid into his dimple. “There we go.” When Louis retreated his hand, Harry caught himself almost leaning forward so Louis would keep touching him.

“How’s it going then?” Harry asked and jerked his chin in the direction of the stage.

“You didn’t miss Sharpay and Ryan, and that’s ought to be the best one.” Louis got up from the floor and offered Harry a hand that he gratefully took. When their fingers were slotted tightly together, Louis hauled him up from the floor with a strength Harry wasn’t aware he had, shushed him, and then led him to some of the nearest seats. They were as far back as possible, and Ms. Darbus was a blurry image as she fluttered around in front of the stage.

“Next!” Ms. Darbus yelled, and a nervous-looking girl stepped onto the stage. The first perfected keys from a piano flowed to Harry’s ears, and he realized that a petite brunette girl was sitting with her back turned to them, shoulders drawn to her ears in obvious concentration as she played the piano. Harry’s attention was snapped back to the nervous girl as she opened her mouth and Harry immediately felt like dying, or at least ripping his ears off. She was off-pitch, out of tune, and she couldn’t remember the lyrics. Beside him, Louis winced and clenched Harry’s hand. _They were still holding hands._

“Yes, yes, that’s quite enough.” The girl abruptly snapped her mouth shut, and Harry would feel bad for her if his ears weren’t bleeding. “Sharpay and Ryan!” she yelled, and next to him, Louis chuckled.

“I reckon this’ll be good.”

Harry was about to answer when the curtains were suddenly drawn. The piano was no longer playing, the music coming from a stereo and the pace was infinitely faster.

After a _very_ interesting performance, dominated by Sharpay as she continuously tried to over-shadow her brother, Harry and Louis were cackling, leaning against each other as tears gathered in the corners of their eyes.

“Holy shit,” Harry wheezed, burying his face in Louis’s shoulder.

“That was priceless,” Louis gasped as he tipped his head so it landed in Harry’s hair. Harry could _swear_ he sniffed him.

Sharpay was snapping something at the poor pianist as Harry and Louis finally sobered up and got out of their seats. They were about to slip down the hallway, when something made Harry turn back around.

“Harry?” Louis spoke up softly, but turned on his heel to join Harry.

“Any last auditions?” Ms. Darbus called for the third time, and something like desperation curled in Harry’s stomach. “Then that’s it,” she deemed, and out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Louis turn to leave.

Harry stepped out from the wall and barely noticed Louis’s surprised noise behind him as he spoke up: “I want to try!” Ms. Darbus lowered her glasses to look Harry up and down.

“Punctuality is a very important asset of the theater, Mr. Styles. I called for single auditions, they’re over, and there are no more pairs.” Dread filled Harry’s stomach and replaced the twinge of excitement.

“I’ll sing with him!” Louis called out, walking around the wall, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Mr. Tomlinson. What a surprise. Are you not out on the plot?” Ms. Darbus asked, and Harry noticed Louis’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.

“The field? No, no I’m here to sing with Harry.” Harry beamed at Louis gratefully, and was slightly taken aback at the fond look he got in return.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Tomlinson, but the winter musi-cal is very important to us here at East High. I’m afraid you’re too late,” Ms. Darbus replied as she collected her papers.

“But he’s really good,” Louis tried again, but was met with a shake of Ms. Darbus’s head.

“Maybe next year.”

She spun on her heel, and Louis spluttered as her scarf was whipped across his face. She exited with a great air of finality.

“Sorry ‘bout that,” Louis said finally.

“No, thanks for trying, Lou.” They were about to follow Ms. Darbus out of the room, when there was a squeal and a thud behind them. On the stage, the pianist was lying haphazardly on the floor, papers strewn around her. Louis cursed under his breath, and when he started jogging to the stage, Harry followed mindlessly.

On stage, the girl was already scurrying around, desperately trying to re-organize her papers, and both boys dropped to their knees to help her.

“Thanks. I’m Kelsi,” she introduced shyly when Harry helped her up and Louis handed her the stack of papers.

“I’m Harry, this is Louis,” Harry answered with a smile.

“Yeah, I know,” she answered simply.

Louis and Harry shared a look. “Hey, I’m sorry about Sharpay. She messed up your song, didn’t she?” Louis spoke up, fingers grazing against the back of Harry’s hand. Kelsi’s eyes zeroed in on the movement, and her lips quirked up when Harry shivered.

“Do you want to hear how it’s supposed to go?” she asked, and Harry reveled in the way a spark ignited in her eyes, and all shyness seemed to fade as she got to talk about what she obviously loved the most. Louis’s face scrunched up just slightly, so Harry stepped closer and nodded at her.

“We would love to.” She beamed and fiddled with the papers as she plopped down on the piano bench. She handed the lyrics to Harry and Louis, and Harry ignored the long-suffering sigh Louis let out. “Be nice,” Harry grumbled into his ear.

Kelsi started playing and by the almost unnoticeable shake of Louis’s head, Harry supposed he would start the ball.

_I got a heart, and I got a soul_

_Believe me I, will use them both_

Louis wound his fingers around Harry’s wrist and squeezed, and Harry quieted down as Louis took over.

_We made a start_

_Be it a false one, I know_

_Baby, I don’t want to feel alone_

Louis squeezed his wrist again, and Harry joined in on the next part.

_So kiss me where I lay down, my hands press to your cheeks_

_A long way from the playground_

Kelsi seemed about ready to burst with excitement as they effortlessly let their voices float together, stopping when it was the other’s turn and starting up again at the right moments, with only a look between them. When the last word reverberated between the walls of the empty auditorium, there was a smile on Louis’s face that made one grow on Harry’s as well. Kelsi’s eyes were flickering between them, a tinge of awe scrunching up her face.

“Mr. Styles, Mr. Tomlinson, you will show up at call-backs.” Harry yelped as Ms. Darbus was suddenly standing beside him. She turned to Kelsi, next, “Make sure they’re up to date. Practice with them. Teach them the songs. They will be competing against Sharpay and Ryan for the leads for the musi-cal.”

Ms. Darbus left without a goodbye, leaving two dumbstruck teenagers and a vibrating pianist.

“This will be great! We can practice at lunch and free periods, and eh, after school! Though you have football, right? Anyways-“ Louis nodded politely as Kelsi rambled on and when she finally left them with her number tucked in their phones and a promise to practice with them the next day, Louis and Harry just kind of stood there in silence for a moment.

“So, uhm, that just happened,” Harry said dumbly, and instantly wanted to smack himself in the face. Harry Styles, super genius, eloquent as ever.

Louis snorted, seemingly in disbelief, as he whacked Harry’s bicep. “You did it, Haz!” he cheered happily, that special glint in his eyes Harry only ever noticed Louis sporting when he was with him.

“Can I be cheesy?”

“Only because you did good.”

“Okay,” Harry grinned and then wiggled his eyebrows. “I didn’t do it. We did it.”

Louis groaned loudly and promptly stomped off the stage.

“Lou!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Visit me on Tumblr! exorcisms-are-hot


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All chapters are written without a beta, so all mistakes are my own.

Over the next days, Harry and Louis practiced with Kelsi separately whenever their schedules allowed them to. Which was _never_ at the same time. Harry was a tad disappointed, a bit more excited, and a lot nervous. What had he been _thinking_?

“Haz? Haz! Oi, lover boy!” Niall and Zayn yelled in unison, waving their hands in his face.

“What?” Harry mumbled, blinking uselessly at his friends.

“You’ve been staring at Louis for the last five minutes, mate,” Zayn told him with a little, mysterious smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

Harry leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms petulantly. “I did no such thing.”

Niall cackled, in the way only Niall could. “It’s like Zayn with Liam all over again.”

“See, now _that_ I’m interested in,” Harry said as Zayn reached over their trays of food to smack Niall’s bicep.

“Imma tell him Zaynie,” Niall grinned, and Harry jumped as Zayn’s head thumped to the table dramatically. “So Hazza, I’m sure Zayn gave you the whole ‘oh he’s an athlete’ speech when you talked to him about Louis, but our moody Vogue model over here, actually has a huge crush on a sports man himself.”

“So after griping to me about how unworthy the athletes are, you went and made heart-eyes at one yourself?” Harry asked Zayn, who nodded into the table. “Shame on you.”

Zayn grunted into the wooden surface before raising his head and wrinkling his nose at the fry stuck on his cheek. “I know. It’s not like I’ve ever really spoken to Liam. We share a class, I tutor him sometimes, that’s it.” Zayn shrugged as if it was no big deal, but Harry knew that look in his eyes. He was prone to sporting it himself quite often around his own athlete. But it didn’t mean anything. Naturally. Absolutely nothing.

“Oh, and then the fact that Liam also stars in all his wet dreams,” Niall spoke up, waggling his eyebrows. “If you know what I mean.”

“We always know what you mean, Niall,” Harry assured him, in a voice that an adult would use on a child.

 

*********************

 

The next day, the cafeteria was a battlefield, unlike anything Harry had ever seen. There was food peeling off the walls, slippery undefined liquids covering the floor, and a raging Sharpay pacing back and forth all the way at the back of the room, away from any danger.

“What’s going on?” Harry asked horrified, to which Niall shrugged.

Zayn came running then, and Harry was beginning to think this was the oddest day ever. He’d never seen Zayn run before, not even in PE. He would jog slowly at the very most.

“Okay, apparently, a lot of ‘our people’,” Zayn said, air quotations and all. “are talking to the more popular people. After they saw the sheet for your’s and Louis’s callback, which you haven’t told us about asshole, they thought the invisible barrier was broken or whatever. Safe to say, the popular crowd don’t agree, and now we’ve got this huge food fight on our hands.”

“Shit, this is _my_ fault?!” Harry squeaked.

“You’re in a _musical?_ ” Niall countered in disbelief, but no one paid him any attention.

“Oh god, I have to find Louis. He’s probably freaking out.” Harry stormed off, and if he had been smart, he would’ve put his nachos away, but he clutched his tray tightly as he tried to duck out of the way of peels of oranges and questionable chunks of meat.

And because the universe really fucking hated him, he slipped on a patch of milk, and the nachos went flying. Before he could see where they ended, there was an unforgettable screech behind him. The entire cafeteria froze, and Harry spun on his heel slowly, only to come face to face with a fuming Sharpay, with nachos dripping down her shirt.

“I-I’m so sorry,” Harry stuttered pathetically as he tried to wipe off the worst of the nachos.

“Idiot!” Sharpay screamed, and Harry was about to attempt to apologize again, when suddenly there were hands on his biceps. Niall and Zayn were steering him away from the scene of the crime, but as they reached the cafeteria doors, Harry twisted out of their grip.

He managed to catch Louis’s eyes across the cafeteria and he stared back with sympathetic eyes. Then Liam was guiding him away with a furious look on his face, and Harry made a mental note to ask Louis about that later.

When Ms. Darbus showed up and Sharpay started pointing in his direction, he yelped in fright and hurried out the door, Niall and Zayn hot on his heels.

“I’m so fucked,” he whimpered as they hid in the library, Zayn’s and Niall’s trays stood in between so Harry could grab if he wanted. He had awesome friends.

“You wish,” Niall snickered under his breath, and was once again ignored.

“I swear I didn’t mean to do that,” Harry said, pleading with his eyes for his friends to just _understand._

Zayn smiled gently and patted Harry’s wrist. “We know. That’s how Sharpay is.”

“But I apologized! What am I supposed to do?” Harry questioned desperately.

“Harry, you’re stealing her thunder. She’s not used to that. And I really don’t think she expected for her part to be stolen by a guy,” Niall argued, munching on whatever food he deemed worthy.

“Well he is quite feminine, and Ms. Darbus don’t seem like the narrow-minded type,” Zayn argued, and Niall nodded along thoughtfully.

“True.”

“Lads!” Harry cried, willing them to return to the matter at hand. “What am I supposed to do? We were just singing! And it was so _so_ amazing, but I’m not trying to steal her thunder!”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were auditioning?” Harry turned to Zayn and willed the flash of hurt to disappear from Zayn’s eyes.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen. Louis and I both happened to creep on the auditions, I made a rash decision to try out, and loads of things happened but either way Ms. Darbus heard us sing together and she liked it, though if Louis and I get the part it’ll be a whole different play entirely.” Harry took a deep breath and slumped into his seat. He buried his face in his hands and tried to calm his beating heart.

He had no idea why he was so shaken up. He knew Sharpay hated him now, probably had from the beginning, but with this, she could get him into serious trouble. Plus, the look on Liam Payne’s face had decidedly not been a good one, and who knew what he was going to tell Louis? What if he convinced him not to sing with Harry? What if he convinced him not to hang out with Harry anymore? Harry’s breathing picked up just at the thought of not going to bed with a goodnight text from Louis, and not waking up with a good morning text from Louis, and not skyping him until they both fall asleep in front of their respective screens. Harry had never been so _happy_ before, but maybe it would all be over now.

“Have you guys ever felt like there was another person inside of you, trying to break free? Trying to get to the surface?” Harry questioned suddenly. His thoughts were a jumbled mess that somehow all winded up back at Louis and his too good lucks and how Harry was quite innocent, he was, but he had never _ever_ seen such an amazing arse on a guy ever before. He had never lusted after someone quite like he did Louis. He knew there was much more to his feelings for Louis than attraction, but it was the only emotion he knew how to deal with. The rest was uncharged territory.

“Not really, no,” Zayn spoke, smiling again. Harry could almost hear the gears turning in Zayn’s head, but he didn’t dare ask.

“Let’s go to class.” Niall stood up abruptly, not even stopping to check if they were following, and stalked out of the room.

“What’s up with him?” Harry asked Zayn, welcoming the distraction with open arms.

“Worried about the decathlon I’d say,” Zayn said, but he wasn’t meeting Harry’s eyes.

“But Niall isn’t a math nerd, is he?”

“He’s a chemistry nerd.” Zayn grabbed his tray and with a tiny wave scurried off after Niall, leaving a baffled and slightly hurt Harry in his wake.

“Alright then.”

 

*********************

 

After Zayn’s and Niall’s weird disappearance, Harry figured he might as well pick his books up from his locker and then go practice with Kelsi. He hadn’t seen Louis since the Sharpay incidence. Maybe he was there. _Yeah right. You’re lucky if he even shows up for the callback._

Harry groaned as he dragged his feet to his locker. Liam would’ve definitely talked Louis out of anything that had to do with the musical, and probably anything that had to do with Harry too. By the time he was twisting the combination to dispose of his books, he could almost feel the raincloud over his head, lightning hitting him in the form of painful twists of his heart.

With an almighty sigh, Harry forced the metal door open, only to notice a note fluttering to the floor. Throwing his books into his locker, Harry’s mind raced. _Who would leave a note for me?_

He bend forward to pick up the paper, and opened it with a little smile on his face. What a perfect distraction.

_Go to the science wing, to the back of the hall, and take the stairs_

_I’ll be waiting_

_Louis xx :)_

Harry giggled into the empty hallway as his heart fluttered ridiculously. He carefully tucked the note into his maths book before slamming the locker shut. _Note to self, put in memory box when home,_ Harry thought as he hurried down the hall. He tried to keep his cool, but there was a blinding smile on his face and a skip in his step when he reached the science wing. He swung the door open, and took the stairs two at a time.

He faltered when he reached the top of the stairs, and his breath got caught in his throat.

A huge iron frame towered over his head and the roses twining around them created some sort of tent. Shelves upon shelves were nailed to the frame, and perched on them were countless colorful flowers and plants, and as someone who liked to occasionally pick up the camera and take photos of the nature, Harry could honestly say he had never seen most of them. Harry rounded the stair railing, and came face to face with a beaming Louis. He threw his arms out in a grand gesture and spun once.

“What do you think?” he asked. There were crinkles by his eyes and his fingers were twitching with what Harry assumed was excitement. When Louis was lit up like that, Harry didn’t feel worried about the clouds that had been hanging low in the sky all day. Louis would be the sun the flowers needed. Harry had no doubt.

Louis placed his hands on the railing that wrapped around the top of the stairs and beckoned Harry over with a tilt of his chin. Harry hurried to his side and involuntarily copied Louis’s stance. If the athlete noticed, he didn’t mention it.

“It’s gorgeous,” Harry breathed, amazed, tipping his head back to stare at the thorny stems of the roses as they created a makeshift ceiling. “How did you find this place?”

“The science-club showed it to me. Which is why my friends don’t know about it,” Louis said. There was a tremor in his voice, as if Harry would judge him for having relations to the science club.

There little fingers brushed, and neither Louis nor Harry drew back, but if both of their smiles widened slightly, who would know? “So this is your safe place or what?”

“Something like that. I prefer to call it my sex-hideout. Like in _Fifty shades of Grey_ but with plants. But sure, safe place is more PG-rated.” Harry cackled and smacked Louis’s biceps.

“You tit,” Harry giggled as Louis laughed along. When they finally calmed down, Harry tried to make the conversation more serious. He needed to know. “Did Liam talk you out of hanging out with me?” he asked quietly, averting Louis’s gaze.

“If he did, would we be standing here?” Louis grabbed Harry’s chin between his thumb and forefinger gently and turned his head so he could look him in the eye. “I’m going to the callback, Harry. My image means a lot, yeah, but I won’t let you down.” He sighed and dropped his hand back to the railing. He turned his face to stare pensively at the grey clouds.

“All of my parents’ friends know me as ‘Louis Tomlinson, football-captain’. My step-dad starts all conversations with: “Louis made a great pass at the last game,” or “Louis came up with a new move,” and it drives me crazy. Most of the time I don’t even feel like his son. I feel like his trophy. So he can parade me around and say: “I taught him everything he knows.” And shit, Harry, it hurts.” Harry sensed there was more and simply squeezed Louis’s shoulder in encouragement. When Louis didn’t shrug him off, he kept the hand there. “My friends aren’t better. I feel like all we talk about lately is the qualification game we have on the day after the callback. Liam tried to talk me out of it briefly, but that’s it. They haven’t even _asked._ They don’t care as long as I don’t fuck up their game. I’m just their captain. I’m not their friend.” Louis signaled he was done speaking by dragging a hand down his face before sending Harry a watery smile.

“Sorry. Didn’t call you up here to play psychiatrist or anything.” Harry shook his head and reluctantly dropped his hand from Louis’s shoulder.

“I don’t mind. I’m glad you trust me. But Lou,” Harry began, sitting down on the bench to the side and patting the spot beside him. Louis fell into the seat with slumped shoulders. “To me, you’ll never be ‘Louis Tomlinson, the football-captain.’ You’ll always be Louis who sang karaoke with me. Who offered to audition to a musical with me. Who brought me up to his kinky sex-garden.” Louis snorted but otherwise didn’t comment. “You’re multi-faceted. Like a prism. At first glance, it’s just a see-through diamond-shaped element, but when the sun hits it just right, it shines in all the colors of the rainbow. That’s you.” Harry didn’t mention how there was definitely a gay joke hiding in there somewhere.

“That’s deep, Styles, that’s real deep,” Louis joked, but his voice was hoarse, raw with emotion. Harry vaguely thought he should use it in a song. His thoughts were interrupted by the bell, and Louis jumped to his feet.

“C’mon. Wouldn’t want my kitten to be late would we?” Louis smirked and winked at Harry, before grabbing his hand and dragging him down the stairs. If there was a curl of arousal in Harry’s stomach at the term of endearment, no one but Harry had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot.


	5. Chapter 5

As a part of the play, Harry and Louis was entitled to help with the preparations. Much like when they had detention, but this time was different.

They had managed to squeeze some practice in together, and it sounded _terrific._ Harry loved singing with Louis, loved how their mingling voices made Kelsi buzz in her skin from excitement, eyes lighting up in awe.

Harry was humming under his breath as he nimbly sowed a costume together. Louis was a few feet away from him, painting some sort of prop. He was squirming on the spot, somewhere between dancing and having a stroke, and he was mouthing the lyrics to their sing. When Harry caught his eye, Louis made a ridiculous shimmy and grinned, leaving Harry a giggling mess.

Ms. Darbus stared at them bewildered, and Louis froze up. When she turned their back to them, Louis waggled his eyebrow at Harry before returning to the prop.

As soon as they were allowed to leave, Louis glanced at the clock and promptly sprinted out of the auditorium, calling a rushed: “see ya Haz!” over his shoulder. Harry shrugged and packed the fabric of the dress away. He walked around the room and said goodbye to everyone before picking up his bag and starting on the trek out of school. When he reached the parking lot, he noticed Louis wandering around the football field alone, in his uniform, kicking idly at the ball. Harry dropped his bag at the stance, before joining Louis.

“Hey wildcat. You seem to be having fun,” Harry said sarcastically. He drew his leg back and snapped it forward, surprisingly sending the ball sailing into the net.

“Don’t tell me you can play footie too? It’s what I do!” Louis squeaked, but there was that spark in his eyes.

“I can’t. It was a lucky shot,” Harry said. “On the other hand, I want to impress you. I’m a pro.” Louis spluttered out a laugh as he retrieved the ball.

He placed it in front of Harry’s feet and stood behind him. He plastered himself to Harry’s back and gripped his hips. Louis turned Harry’s body slightly, and Harry was a bit embarrassed about how pliant his body was in Louis’s hands. The man in question leaned up on his toes so his mouth was near Harry’s ear, and his breath was spilling down Harry’s neck and wrapping around his face, sending a chill down his spine.

“You have to lock your angle so it isn’t flailing about,” Louis instructed.

“I’m gay, I don’t do locking my limbs,” Harry joked weakly, and was rewarded by a warm chuckle in his ear.

“Now, you kick with the part of your foot where your laces are, not your toe. The further back you draw your leg, the better.” Louis tapped the back of Harry’s right thigh and even as Harry did as he was instructed, Louis didn’t step away. His breath was hot on Harry’s skin, his fingertips digging into the flesh of Harry’s hips. Harry kicked the ball, and sure enough, it went in again.

“T-thank you,” Harry stammered. When Louis stepped back, he finally filled his lungs with oxygen again, and willed his heart to calm down.

Louis threw an arm around his shoulder and now they were pressed against each other _again_. “You’re very welcome, Styles.”

“Hey, you! Curly one!” someone yelled from across the field, approaching with grunting breaths. Harry snapped his head to the side only to find Louis’s stepfather, scowling angrily at Harry. “You’re that Styles kid, aren’t you? This field is booked for players only! What do you think you’re doing here?”

“Dad, it’s-“ Louis started, but Harry caught him off.

“No, it’s okay, he’s right. I’m sorry I disturbed you,” Harry said to Louis, before turning to Louis’s stepdad with a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Tomlinson.” He hurried away after that, and only managed to catch Louis raise his voice and something that involved Harry’s name, before the pounding of Harry’s heart and the wind rushing in his ears drowned it all out.

 

*********************

 

The next few days passed in a blur of singing, classes and _Louis._ On Monday, Harry was already shaking with nerves, despite the callback not being until Thursday. Last night, Louis had spent an entire hour trying to calm Harry down over the phone while Harry cooked, but to no avail.

“Harry!” Zayn yelled, jogging to catch up to Harry. He narrowed his eyes at his raven-haired friend.

“You’re running to me,” he said slowly, and grew concerned when Zayn’s eyes flickered nervously.

“I have to show you something,” he said simply, before grabbing Harry’s wrist and dragging him down the hallway. Harry ought to stop following people mindlessly. When they reached the science wing, Harry was led into a classroom. The entire decathlon team, including Niall, were huddled together in the corner of the room. On the table in front of them were a laptop. Zayn shoved him into the chair and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “We’re doing this for your own sake.” Harry furrowed his brows at him confusedly, and when he got no response, turned to Niall with a questioning gaze.

The blonde averted his eyes.

Zayn turned on the laptop and with a tiny smile went to stand with the rest of the team.

The screen lit up with Louis’s face. Harry involuntarily smiled. Zayn coughed uncomfortably, but it was drowned out as Louis started speaking.

“Harry means nothing, okay? I’m just doing it to be nice. He’s just some fun. The musical is just some fun. I’m not serious about either of those things. I’m only yours, yeah? Only here for the team. Not for Harry. Wildcats forever, right? Or did you already forget?”

The screen turned black.

Harry was numb. It was like a cold feeling was slowly seeping from his heart through his veins into the very tips of his fingers. A few moments later, it was replaced by a dull pain that quickly turned into flames eating him up from the inside. There was a hole in his stomach and his chest, and he had never felt so _hollow._ There were tears streaming down his cheeks before he knew it, but he didn’t care. It cooled his overheated cheeks, and they kept rolling, even as Harry forcibly tried to swallow past the lump in his throat. His vision was foggy and his heart felt like it was being squeezed tight by a vice. He couldn’t _breathe_.

Niall was the first who dared to speak up. “We had to show you what he was really like.”

Zayn followed. “We’re always here for you. We just didn’t want you to get caught in his web for too long.”

Harry laughed humorlessly before jumping off the chair and storming out of the room. For the first time ever, Harry skipped class. He ran and ran and _ran,_ and found himself in a little clutter of trees next to the school, which could barely count as a forest. He found a reasonably dry log, as dry as anything can get in England, and started crying for real. There were tears and snot falling to the forest floor and Harry still couldn’t fucking breathe. He was starting to worry he never would be able to.

When it started raining, Harry felt like it was the perfect metaphor. His sun was gone, and now all that was left was the cold, harsh rain. Like reality slapping him hard across the face, reminding him that Louis was never really _his._ He should’ve seen this coming. He had been so _dumb._ Why would Louis give him the time of day for any other reason than pity? With Louis, he thought he was someone else. Someone else than just the math nerd. He was _Harry,_ he had _confidence,_ and he could _sing._ He felt like a _person._ But now, he wasn’t blind anymore. He knew who he was. He was just a _nerd._ He didn’t belong in the musical. He belonged on the decathlon team.

He dried his tears and waited for the class to end before tracking Zayn down.

“I’ll do it,” he said in lieu of greeting.

“Do what?” Zayn asked. He reached a hand up and wiped away a stray tear. “We were too late, weren’t we?”

Harry shrugged. “I’ll join the decathlon team. I’ll do it.” Zayn lit up in a beam, and Harry’s heart didn’t feel as heavy in his chest.

“Really? Oh thanks, Haz!” Zayn pulled him into a hug, and he curled around his friend, clutching his waist desperately. When Zayn tried to pull back, but Harry wouldn’t let him. He noticed Harry clinging onto him, and simply wound his arms around him tighter.

“You were right, I should’ve listened, you were right,” Harry blabbered uselessly, tears gathering in his eyes once again.

“No, hey, it wasn’t your fault. He’s the dick,” Zayn comforted him, but it didn’t help any. Harry’s stomach still felt like it was filled with lead.

“Yeah. He is.”

 

*********************

 

He was picking books out of his locker when Louis came strolling by. He stopped next to Harry and leaned against the locker, sending the other boy his most charming smile.

Harry turned his face into his locker so Louis couldn’t see the tears welling up in his eyes. The last thing he would give Louis was the satisfaction of seeing him cry.

“Hey Haz, just wanted to talk to you about-“ Louis started, but Harry was quick to interrupt him.

“It’s fine, Louis, I get it. You have your team, and I have mine. I joined the decathlon team,” Harry added when Louis’s eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

“What are you talking about?” Louis asked.

“I’ll go win the decathlon and you go win the championships. It’s okay. They’re your real friends, I get it.”

“You’re making no sense. I wanted to talk about the callbacks-“

“Yeah, I don’t want to do them either,” Harry interrupted. He couldn’t bear to hear the actual words out of Louis’s mouth.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry, Louis, I don’t blame you, I really don’t.” Harry grabbed the papers with their song on and shoved it into Louis’s chest. Louis scrambled to grab it before it went sailing to the floor.

The ‘goodbye Louis’ Harry left the athlete with felt more final than he liked to admit.

 

*********************

 

That night, Harry curled up with his sister on the couch, head resting in her lap and drained tea mug sitting on the coffee table. Gemma’s fingers were running through his hair gently, and normally she would tease him about being 1/3 cat, but even she could sense something was off.

“What’s wrong little brother?” she whispered gently.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Harry couldn’t hear her sigh, but her stomach pushed against the back of his head with the motion.

“Is it Louis?”

Harry stiffened in her lap but tried to play it cool. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” His voice was squeaky, and it ended up sounding more like a question than a statement.

Despite her attempt to play the good, older sister, Gemma couldn’t hold back her snort. “Right. So when you’re up till three at night, you’re skyping grandma?”

Harry considered sitting up, but then he’d have to face Gemma and look her in the eye when he told her. “I have feelings for Louis. He doesn’t return them and I’m just a charity project. That’s it. Please don’t make fun of me.”

“Harry, I would never make fun of you for something that’s upsetting you this bad,” Gemma hurriedly assured him. “There’s something shady going on, Harry. You skype him all the time, and when you’re not skyping, he’s calling you, and when he’s not calling you, he’s texting you pictures of kittens and tacos with smileys drawn on them. You talk about him all the time. You spend almost all your time with him. Something just doesn’t add up here.”

Harry sat up so quick his head spun. “I know, okay?! I know! But I heard him say it himself!” Harry exploded. He stumbled off the couch and ran to his room. He slammed the door shut behind him and fell face-first into his bed. He clutched the pillow tight and whimpered pathetically.

On his nightstand, his phone buzzed. He reached for it blindly, and turned his head so he could peek at it with one eye. It was Louis. _Of course,_ it was Louis. They were supposed to study together in the library after school, but Harry had hurried home to the sanctuary of his room, only to find his sister on the couch, and before she could even explain what she was doing there, he had curled up next to her.

Harry silenced his phone and put it back down. Every few minutes, the phone lit up with worried texts, and Harry turned it over.

Louis only gave him a moment’s peace before he was calling him.

Harry shut his phone off.

 

*********************

 

Dragging himself out of bed the next day was unbearable. He had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep, his eyes were dull and even his curls appeared less brown and mattered to his forehead.

Both his mum and Gemma were at the table when he got downstairs and if they noticed his depressing demeanor, they didn’t comment on it. His mum had made pancakes, however, which was normally only for birthday mornings.

“Did you tell her?” Harry whispered to his sister when Anne had her back turned.

Gemma was quick to shake her head. “She’s a mum, though. She knows when something is up.”

School was even worse. Harry had turned his phone back on while walking to school, and he had 10 text messages from Louis and three missed calls. The earliest text was only a few minutes old.

Zayn and Niall met him at the entrance to the school and Niall only tried casual banter for a few minutes before he shut up.

“We should’ve told you earlier,” Niall said finally when the silence seemed to turn unbearable.

Harry shook his head and tried his best to smile at Niall. Only people who were dead inside would not try to keep Niall happy. “It’s not your fault. Let’s just go prepare for the decathlon, okay? I need a distraction.” Harry hurried ahead as his friends stayed behind, discussing something in hushed tones.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the classroom in the science wing. At least Louis wouldn’t look for him here. He pulled a book out of his bag and started scribbling notes onto the blackboard.

He was in the middle of a very peculiar drawing of a cell when their was a clearing of a throat behind him. With his heart lodged in his own throat, he slowly spun on his heel. He sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment when it was Zayn, Niall and the team.

“Harry, we have something we want to admit. Louis only said those things because we pressured him to do it. He isn’t as bad as we thought, and we’re sorry we did that to you,” Zayn said, wringing his hands together nervously.

The chalk in Harry’s hand stilled. “No one pressured him to do _anything_ , Zayn,” he snapped before returning to his equation.

“We tried,” Zayn mumbled before the team filed back out. Harry blinked back tears and had to lower the chalk from the board his hand was shaking so bad.

“Get a grip, Styles, he was just a boy, just a boy,” Harry assured himself quietly as he took a shuddering breath and placed the chalk back on the board. “Just a boy.” _Not just a boy._

 

*********************

 

“Harry, baby, do you want to tell me what’s going on?” his mum asked when he got home from school.

There was two steaming mugs at the kitchen table so Harry assumed Gemma had gone back to college. “There’s nothing going on,” he mumbled at the floor as he dropped into one of the chair and took the first sip of the cup.

“Somehow, I don’t believe you,” Anne said, and had it come from anyone else, he would’ve thought they were mocking him.

“Just, boy troubles,” Harry said vaguely, staring into the liquid in his cup.

“Louis?”

Harry was about to ask how the _hell_ his mum knew that, but he couldn’t be bothered. “Yeah, Louis.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Harry shook his head. “Okay baby, you can always come talk to me if you need it.” Anne got up from her chair, kissed Harry’s forehead, placed her cup in the sink before leaving the kitchen.

Harry pushed the cup away from him so he could let his head thump onto the table. He curled his arms around himself tight and curled into a ball right there in the kitchen. His phone buzzed in his pocket and his heart really shouldn’t sink anymore when Louis’s name flashed on his screen, but it still did.

He flicked his hand at the phone and jumped slightly when it went crashing to the floor. _Fuck it all, honestly._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fucked up with the callback date, the callback is on friday and the decathlon thing and the footie game is thursday, sorry!

After he’d drained his tea he changed into his sweats and an over-sized t-shirt and locked himself in his room.

Feeling very much like a cliché, he opened up Spotify and chose a playlist called ‘heartbreak.’ It started off with Adele and transitioned into Taylor Swift as Harry grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest. His phone vibrated in his pocket but he already knew who it was, so he didn’t bother looking.

Just as Take That took over the playlist, there were three insistent knocks on the front door downstairs. Harry closed the lid of the computer and chucked the pillow to the side. He snuck halfway down the stairs before a familiar voice floated up the hardwood steps and made Harry halt.

“Hello Ms. Cox, is Harry here?” Louis asked downstairs, jumping from foot to foot nervously.

“You must be Louis,” Anne claimed. She threw a questioning look over her shoulder, and Harry thanked the heavens that Louis couldn’t see him from his position at the front door. Anne raised an eyebrow and Harry quickly shook his head, curls springing around his face and luckily blocking the view of Louis. His heart was aching in his chest, and if he looked at the tan skin and feathery fringe for too long, he was sure his knees would buckle and send him flying down the stairs.

“I’m sorry, Harry has some homework, he doesn’t have time for a visit right now,” Anne lied smoothly, but apparently not smoothly enough, because Louis’s forehead wrinkled as he tried to look past her. She got in her way so Louis wouldn’t stick his head in and see Harry standing dumbstruck in the middle of the stairs.

“Would you, eh, would you tell him I found out what I did wrong? And that I’m really sorry for it? And I would love it if he would answer my calls?”

_Did he not know what he did wrong?_ Harry thought as Anne’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I’ll be sure to tell him,” she said. “Louis.”

Louis smiled gratefully and stepped away from the door. Harry could see the pinch in his expression though. He knew Harry heard.

“Baby?” Anne asked when Harry didn’t budge from his spot.

“I-I need to t-think,” Harry stammered before stumbling back up the stairs. He collapsed on his bed once more and before Louis, he had never done so much collapsing. He was turning into a proper drama-queen.

So what if Louis hadn’t known? It didn’t matter. He’d still said all those things to his friends about Harry. Had dragged him through the dirt just because he couldn’t bear to have them think he would actually be friends with Harry. And whatever guilt he felt was only because now he knew Harry had heard.

There was a knock on the door out to his private porch and with a might jump and a mighty squeal, Harry whipped around to find Louis on the other side of the glass door.

“How did you get up here?!” Harry hissed as he threw the door open and allowed Louis to enter his room.

“You have a tree,” Louis said matter-of-factly, jutting a thumb over his shoulder.

“Right.”

Louis sighed sadly and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb- and forefinger. “Listen, Harry-“

“I don’t want to hear it,” Harry interrupted with a sickly fake smile, resuming his position on the bed.

Louis was about to join him on the bed, but changed his mind the last second and went for his desk chair instead. He fiddled with the stuff on Harry’s desk and Harry did his best to ignore the athlete desperately trying to find his words.

“I didn’t mean the stuff I said,” Louis said quietly.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at the other boy and bit his lip. “I don’t believe you.”

Louis jumped up from the chair and joined Harry on the bed. He grabbed for his hands, but Harry pulled them away and buried them in the covers so Louis couldn’t get to them. Louis retreated as if his hands had been burned, with a hurt look on his face.

“Harry, you have to. They cornered me, and they were saying all this stuff about how I didn’t care about the team and that I was shitting on my stepdad’s work and Liam turned these puppy-eyes on me and Haz, you don’t know guilt until you’ve had that look send your way. I thought I’d do the callbacks and the game behind their backs and then tell them about it afterwards, so they could see I could do both. But they set me up, Harry. I’m so sorry.”

Harry slowly untangled his fingers from the duvet and let Louis grab them. “Keep going.”

Louis grinned and squeezed his fingers. “I should’ve told you about the plan, and I would’ve, if you weren’t ignoring me _and_ my calls,” he said pointedly, arching an eyebrow with a teasing smile on his face.

“Can you honestly blame me?” Harry asked, flush rising up his neck to his cheeks.

Louis’s face fell and his eyes dulled. “No, I-I can’t.” He took a deep shuddering breath, raised Harry’s knuckles to his lips, and placed a gentle kiss there.

Harry giggled happily and Louis’s face brightened again. “I’ve missed you,” Louis admitted in a whisper.

“It was only, like, a day,” Harry said but his heart was flipping in his chest and his stomach was curling pleasantly.

“It was a long day.”

“Don’t be daft.”

“I’m not!”

“I reckon you are,” Harry fired back.

They were nose-to-nose now and chuckling breathlessly. Louis’s breath fanned over Harry’s face as he rubbed their noses together in an Eskimo kiss.

“Haz,” he said softly and Harry let out a soft noise in lieu of a reply.

“Harry I wanted to talk to you about – oh my.”

Harry pulled back quickly and blushed feverishly. It seemed all he did around Louis was cry and blush. “M-mum, I-I-“

“I’m very sorry Ms. Cox, I needed to apologize. I’ll be going now. Have a lovely evening,” Louis said smoothly.

“Call me Anne,” Anne said weakly as Louis walked past her, down the stairs and out of the house. “What was that?” she asked Harry.

“I have _no_ idea.”

 

*********************

 

Later that night, an obviously hesitant Louis called him up and continued to apologize in between memos of Liam antics and the latest gossip Louis had picked up on. Louis knew very well that Harry didn’t care for the gossip, but was also aware that sometimes Harry was content to just let Louis drone on and on, to just have someone _be there_ because they wanted to.

And in a hushed whisper, Louis managed to convince Harry not to be too cross with Zayn and Niall. They had, after all, had his best intentions in mind. Harry couldn’t wait to show them that Louis was quite possibly one of the most important people in his life.

Despite his boisterous and animated outer, Louis always knew when all Harry needed was the quiet comfort of a friend, the feel of a presence that didn’t offer any words or advice, but simply breathed with him.

It was all Harry had never known he needed while simultaneously being the one thing he’d looked for all his life.

So yeah, having Louis back eased so much of the pressure Harry hadn’t realized weighed down on his shoulders. Not that he would ever admit it, but in the dark of the night, Louis bitching about his classmates sounded distinctly like a lullaby.

 

*********************

When Zayn and Niall greeted him the next day at lunch they were visibly holding themselves back, distancing themselves slightly with anxiousness glinting in their eyes.

Harry decided to drag it out, punish them a bit, and it was only when Niall seemed to be on the verge of crying that he spoke up; “you do realize I’m not mad at you, right?”

Both of his friends started as he had not uttered a word since his brief greeting.

“You-you’re not?” Niall asked, that ridiculously endearing glimmer of hope back in his eyes.

Harry shook his head so his curls flew around, just the way he knew always made his friends chortle. “Nope. And you actually have Louis to thank for that.”

“We do?” Zayn asked quietly, normal calm demeanor tense as he awaited Harry’s reply.

Harry nodded and took a bite of his sandwich, chewing thoughtfully as he met his raven-haired friend’s pensive stare. “Indeed you do.”

“We misjudged him, Hazza, we really did. He’s an alright guy,” Niall said, bouncing slightly in his seat as if the twenty minutes he had been sitting still were nineteen minutes too many.

“I’ll be sure to let him know.”

 

*********************

 

“So now we just divide it by 7, and there we go, the answer is 34!” Harry gushed excitedly, underlining the answer on the blackboard as the rest of the decathlon team scribbled in their notebooks, murmured words of praise thrown in Harry’s general direction.

Harry mentally patted himself on the back when he saw Zayn look at him with an awed, slack-jawed expression and assessing him with admiration.

Harry wrote an equally confusing equation on the blackboard and with the glee of a toddler on Christmas, he explained the procedure to find the answer. He glanced at the clock and with a jump and a startled noise Harry scurried to throw his stuff into his bag.

“Gotta go!” he called over his shoulder and the boom of Niall’s laughter followed him down the hallway as he searched for Louis.

When he rounded a corner, the athlete was leaning against the lockers, trying and failing to look casual as Harry grabbed his hand in the passing and dragged a startled Louis after him down the hall.

Louis was laughing as he spat out a sarcastic; “you’re late,” and Harry managed to flick him on the ear even as they stumbled around, clinging onto each other as their laughs mingled, legs intertwining and causing them to trip over each other, almost toppling over several times before they reached the rehearsal room.

Kelsi’s head snapped up at the ruckus the pair caused as they entered the room, but she simply smiled fondly as she handed them the lyrics. “You two are so cute it’s disgusting,” she commented off-handedly.

Harry froze and looked at Louis out of the corner of his eye, but the other boy didn’t seem bothered in the slightest as he jumped onto a table next to the piano and hooked his foot around the back of Harry’s shin and dragged him closer.

“Come sing with me, kitten,” he leered jokingly, and Harry tried to disguise the flipping of his heart by laughing.

“If you insist, sir.”

And so they sang. For hours, they let the soft chimes of Kelsi’s piano wash over them as they pranced around the room, dancing in opposite directions only to meet on the middle, where Harry would spin Louis around or Louis would dip Harry so his curls were brushing against the ground. More often than not, they had to start over because the boys were laughing so hard, but Kelsi watched them with exasperated fondness and patiently started over.

Harry had never been graceful. He’d always been pigeon-toed, always had two left feet, always took the wrong steps or turned his body the wrong way. While dancing with Louis didn’t make him elegant, not at all actually, it made him feel like it didn’t _matter._ Louis would never judge him for stumbling over himself, would merely chuckle and steady him, and he wasn’t _used_ to that. He was used to being the nerd, the weirdo, the _outcast._ But Louis –wonderful Louis– was the most popular guy at school and he choose to be here with Harry. He could’ve dropped out, could’ve not gone after Harry and apologized after ‘the incident’.

But he did.

“Oi, Curly, where did you go?” Louis murmured, and Harry thought it was supposed to be sarcastic and snappy, but Louis was smiling softly and his eyes were sparkling – fucking _sparkling_ – and Harry suddenly felt like he was threading waters, the waves crashing over him every few seconds, forcing his tired limbs to sink deeper, and he found that he didn’t _mind._

“Okay, Kelsi, we’ve officially lost Harry, I reckon it’s time to stop,” Louis laughed, slinging an arm around Harry’s shoulders even if he had to stand on his tippy toes to do so.

“You’re actually only four feet tall,” Harry pondered, pinching Louis’s side when he opened his mouth to retaliate.

“My winning personality makes up for it,” Louis sniffled haughtily, but he didn’t move his arm, didn’t step away from Harry, even as he turned his head to show he was upset.

So Harry pinched him again.

Louis punched him in the balls.

Harry crumbled to the floor.

“What the fuck?” Harry grunted, cupping his wounded manhood.

Louis crossed his arms petulantly and arched an eyebrow as he softly nudged Harry with the tip of his sneaker. “The bigger they are the harder they fall,” Louis sing-songed, pushing hard suddenly so Harry went tumbling to the floor.

“If there is any sort of conceiving happening near my piano, I will send you both to the ground,” Kelsi threatened innocently as she perched her hat atop her head and packed her papers.

Both boys stared at her dumbly, stunned into silence. “I promise we won’t conceive?” Louis tried to sound confident, but he was so shocked his voice went squeaky and it came out as a question.

Harry couldn’t help but snort.

And was promptly kicked in the balls.

“Kelsi!” Harry whined.

“I’m not playing mother in this sick little play of yours,” she huffed before stalking out.

Louis whistled as the door closed behind her. “She grew some _balls_.”

“Meanwhile mine are retreating back into my body,” Harry moaned, rolling around on the floor in a useless heap.

“Grow a pair, Styles.”

“Fuckhole.”

 

*********************

 

“ _Harry! Louis!”_ Zayn was running to catch up with them, hair in disarray and eyes crazed.

“What?” Louis asked first, placing a calming hand on Zayn’s shoulder. Zayn had to bend forward and gasp for breath for a few moments before lifting his head and meeting Harry’s gaze square on.

“Sharpay and Ryan heard you practice before. They’re plotting something,” he said through great heaves of breath, and Harry’s heartrate picked up. He turned panicked eyes to Louis, who remained cool as a rock as he tried to coax further information out of Zayn. “I overheard them. They were spying on you when you were practicing with Kelsi. I didn’t hear what they were saying, but Sharpay was smiling and it was frightening and-and-“ Louis smiled and clapped him on the back reassuringly.

“Thanks for telling us, Zayn. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a lot we can do. We’ll just have to wait it out and see what they throw our way.”

It took five minutes worth of reassurances and a long hug from Harry to get Zayn going again. He always seemed so put together, so calm, and seeing him this— _frazzled,_ was throwing Harry for a loop. He had a sinking feeling in his gut, and he could see his worry reflected in Louis’s eyes. There was a storm going on around them, and Harry felt like he was standing right in the eye of it, afraid to speak or move a muscle in case he would unravel the storm’s fury.

At last, Louis took a deep breath, which caused Harry to do the same.

“Let’s head home, yeah? You have your decathlon tomorrow and I have my game at the same time. We need some sleep,” Louis said lowly, soothingly, only meant for Harry to hear. With a nod that verged on frantic, Harry hugged Zayn goodbye one last time before trailing after Louis.

“It’ll work out, kitten, don’t worry,” Louis assured. He tugged on one of Harry’s curls, fishing for a smile, which Harry attempted to give him. Louis saw straight through it. “It’ll work out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot.


	7. Chapter 7

It didn’t work out.

When Harry, Zayn and Niall walked into the school the morning after, Kelsi was staring at the bulletin board. She was apparently frozen place, and Harry shared a look with his friends before closing the distance between him and the tense pianist. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she jumped under his palm.

She whipped around to face Harry with the most devastating look in her eyes, but before she could say anything, Louis and Liam were spilling in through the door, with the entire football team on their heels. They were laughing over something when Louis slipped an arm around Harry’s waist and not even Louis’s hot breath curling under the color of his shirt could drag his focus away from Kelsi’s panicked expression. Louis noticed immediately, and as always, he took charge.

“What’s going on?” Everyone quieted down, even Zayn and Liam who were smiling goofily at each other. _Note to self, ask Zayn later,_ Harry thought absentmindedly.

“They’ve moved the callbacks,” Kelsi said in a trembling voice. She pointed at a bright pink poster that took up most of the bulletin board, and everyone moved closer so they could read it.

“That’s the same time as the decathlon,” Zayn murmured.

“And the game,” Liam supplied, slightly unnecessarily.

“Why would Ms. Darbus do that?” Harry asked. At least he thought he asked. He couldn’t hear much over the blood rushing in his ears and his heart pounding away in his chest, turning his breath labored. Louis squeezed his middle, and Harry clung to him like an anchor, like Louis was the only thing keeping him steady, making sure he wasn’t swept away by panic.

“I don’t think this has anything to do with Ms. Darbus,” Zayn uttered. He let a hand curl into Harry’s hair comfortingly, just the way he knew Harry liked it, and Harry send him a tiny, grateful smile.

“Not unless Ms. Darbus strictly wears pink and can’t chew gum and walk at the same time,” Kelsi continued, eyes still trained on the poster.

“What are we going to do?” Harry squeaked, panicked, frantically looking at Louis to find some _answers._ As always, Louis didn’t disappoint.

“I have a plan, but I need everyone’s help. Who’s up for it?” There was a moment of silence, and then Liam was cheering.

“I’m in!” he crowed, raising his and Zayn’s seemingly intertwined hands, which made the dark-skinned boy cheer right alongside him. Soon, everyone were waving their fists in the air, yelling loudly.

“Now, here’s my plan.”

 

*********************

 

“What if it doesn’t work, Lou?” Harry mumbled miserably, chewing on his thumbnail while pacing the classroom floor. In a few minutes, Louis was headed off for the pitch, and Harry for the decathlon, while Sharpay and Ryan did their callbacks. Harry had been twitchy and panicky ever since they heard the news, and apparently, Louis had gotten enough.

The athlete in question sat cross-legged on one of the desks, the very picture of ease as he picked a loose threat on the sleeve of his shirt. “It will, Haz, but not if you faint halfway through,” he said lightly, eyes following Harry’s every move.

“They’re going to figure us out and we’ll be expelled and my mum will have my head and I won’t get into college and I won’t get a job and I’ll live on the streets in a cardboard box,” Harry rambled, breath picking up as he worked himself into a right state.

Louis eased off the table and stopped Harry’s pacing with a firm hand on his shoulder. Louis drew him into a hug, and Harry sagged against him. “It’ll be fine, kitten. I’ve got it under control. You trust me, right?” Harry nodded uselessly against his neck, making himself smaller so Louis could wrap himself around Harry. “That’s what I thought. Now, get into your cute little coat and head off, hmm?” Louis hummed into his ear, squeezing him once before stepping back with a smile.

Harry nodded and blew out a shaky breath. One glance at Louis’s smiling face gave him the confidence boost he needed, and he put on his lab-coat with steady hands.

“Good luck,” Louis murmured, hiking the bag with his kit onto his shoulder.

“You too,” Harry whispered back, and before he could talk himself out of it, he kissed Louis on the cheek.

He didn’t dare look back as he left the room.

 

*********************

 

Zayn and Niall were both smiling mischievously when Harry showed up in the science lab of the school where the decathlon was taking place.

“I like the thrill of doing something I shouldn’t,” Niall said in lieu of greeting.

“I would say me too, but I’ve snuck out of plenty of English classes to smoke, so,” Zayn said proudly, patting his pocket where a square package was poking through.

“Yes, you’re very cool, Zaynie,” Harry answered hurriedly, chuckling briefly at Zayn’s affronted expression. “Is everything ready?” Zayn gave him thumbs up.

Niall sighed. “You know, we went through a lot of shit for this, I hope Louis’s dick is worth it,” the Irish man grumbled sourly.

“We’re not shagging, so I wouldn’t know,” Harry reminded him. However, Niall’s eyes widened in shock.

“You’re not shagging?” he asked, sounding genuinely confused.

Harry assessed him for a moment, before realizing he was serious. “No? Zayn, did you think we were shagging too?”

Zayn looked too much like a deer caught in the headlights. “To be quite honest, mate, I thought you’d been shagging for a long time.”

Harry’s jaw dropped. “No way.”

“In our defense, you two act like a couple,” Niall piped up and he even had the decency to look a bit guilty.

Harry reconsidered all the time he’d spend with Louis lately, but drew a blank. “What?”

Zayn and Niall shared knowing looks, and when they focused on Harry once again, they were biting back smug smiles. “It’s all the touching,” Niall started.

“He’s constantly touching you. A hand on your back, an arm wrapped around your waist, fingers on your bicep. And whenever he touches you, you get this… serene look on your face,” Zayn elaborated when Harry couldn’t come up with something to tell Niall.

Harry fish-mouthed for a few moments, before clearing his throat, letting a raspy, “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” slip out of his mouth. He then hurried past his best friends, flushing bright red as their amused laughter followed him.

 

 

*********************

 

Zayn and Niall were still sniggering when they got ready for the decathlon. Harry was still a bit pink when he got called up to the board. He and his opponent, a lanky boy with shaggy blonde hair and thick-rimmed glasses, were to solve an equation as fast as possible. Harry pushed all thoughts of Louis and Louis’s dick out of his mind and chose instead to zoom in on his mother’s beaming face, as the principal signaled for them to start.

A minute later Harry was announced the winner of the first part of the competition. Harry would have been excited if he wasn’t about to vandalize school property and possibly get send to jail.

Jail would not look good on a college application.

He gulped but nodded firmly at Zayn when he raised a concerned eyebrow. If there was such a thing as a concerned eyebrow.

Zayn nodded back, and opened his laptop. Harry could hear the crowd cheering even from this distance and he couldn’t contain a smile. _Louis_ was out there. With a few taps on the computer, Zayn turned to Harry with a wicked smirk, and behind his back, Harry gave Niall thumbs up. The yells from the pitch faded away slowly, until he couldn’t hear a single noise, except Liam yelling something Harry thought was: “go go go!” Out of his peripheral, he saw Niall nod before taking a beaker in each hand. They were both filled with neon-colored, sloshing liquid, and he poured them together expertly.

A rancid smell filled the room as fog spilled over the sides of the beaker, and everyone in the room lifted their shirts to cover their noses, as the room collectively started coughing.

“Out, out!” the principal called. He calmly guided everyone out, and Harry did his best to hide from his mother so he didn’t have to explain anything. Luckily, he managed to dodge her, and he tore off in the direction of the auditorium with Zayn and Niall hot on his heels.

They passed a window that showed the football pitch. All of the lights had gone out, and the scoreboard was flickering sadly, the entire field swallowed in darkness.

Harry reached behind him to fist bump Zayn. It was working. Louis’s plan was working. When Harry ran into the auditorium, he noticed Louis run in from another entrance.

“—I cannot have such sloppiness in my theater,” Harry heard Ms. Darbus say to a beaming Sharpay and a slightly more receded Ryan.

“We’re here!” Louis yelled loudly. He was still in his full kit, spare for his football boots, and his fringe was flopping into his face, damp with sweat.

“I’m afraid it’s too late, Mr. Tomlinson. I’ve called your names several times, and you didn’t show up.”

Harry was just about to object, when the door behind him was thrown open, and the decathlon team filed in, including his mum. The remaining three doors of the auditorium opened quickly after that, and students started spilling in. The football team and all the fans that had been cheering for them, even the teachers were starting to get comfortable in their seats.

Ms. Darbus lowered her glasses and peaked over the edge with an arched eyebrow. “Well, well. This is what I call theater!” she announced loudly, ushering Harry and Louis up on stage. Kelsi beamed at them from the piano, and someone thrust a microphone into his hand.

Louis started effortlessly, and Harry’s eyes were fixated on the enthralling movement of his body, the light in his eyes as his voice carried through the auditorium, rendering all the students speechless. When Louis turned to him, he realized with a start that it was his turn. His eyes snapped to the crowd, and he could see Niall, Zayn, Liam, Louis’s stepdad and Harry’s mum.

And he just.

He froze.

The piano kept ringing softly, but Harry’s voice wasn’t following.

Panic was prickling the back of his neck, and the tears were collecting on his lower lashes.

He turned desperate eyes to Louis, and found the other boy was already looking at him. Louis signaled for Kelsi to stop playing, and plucked the microphone out of Harry’s hand. He turned them both off before returning his attention to Harry.

“Look at me, kitten, only at me,” he murmured. Harry tried, he really did, but his eyes kept flickering to the crowd. The light that shone on the stage obscured their faces, but even then, he felt like he could taste their judgement of him in the air. Louis sensed this, and cradled each of Harry’s cheeks in his palms and forced Harry’s gaze to lock onto his. “It’s just you and me, babe, just you and me. Pretend we’re rehearsing. It’s the same Kelsi, the same me, the same you. You’re not alone. I’m here. I’m always here,” Louis whispered, dragging his thumb along Harry’s cheekbone in a soothing manner. “Let’s do this, together. Can you do that for me?” Harry stared at Louis for a beat before nodding, jerkily and barely, but it was a nod nonetheless.

Louis let him go with a, “That’s my Hazza,” before turning their microphones on and handing one to Harry. Harry was too occupied mourning the loss of Louis’s hands to register the athlete’s voice starting once again. When Harry’s part was coming up, he snapped his eyes to Louis, who smiled encouragingly and winked at him.

Harry took a deep breath before opening his mouth.

And suddenly.

He was singing.

And he was singing _good._

With a brilliant smile, he looked at Louis again, and saw his ecstatic expression mirrored on the other boys face.

The chorus was Harry’s favorite part of the song. He felt like it described his and Louis’s friendship pretty well, love song or not. And well, he and Louis harmonized perfectly when they sang it together.

_I don’t care what people say when we’re together_

_You know I wanna be the one to_

_Hold you when you sleep_

_I just want it to be you and I forever_

_I know you wanna leave but c’mon, baby be with me_

_So happily_

When Harry lowered the microphone the next time, he was grinning, flustered, sweaty and panting. He had never felt more _alive._ And when Louis swung an arm around his shoulders and laughed delightedly into his ear, heart hammering away in his chest where it was pressed against Harry’s side, it only made everything better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say hi on tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is probably the last official chapter. The next one will have some smut and some 'what happens after' stuff, but the basic plot ends here. Thanks for reading everyone! Love ya! *smooch*

The first to greet them when they get off the stage was Louis’s stepfather.

“Louis William Tomlinson!” he boomed. Louis’s shoulders tensed and Harry placed a placating hand on the small of his back. “Why have you never told me you could sing before?” Harry could feel Louis’s sink into his touch as he relaxed.

“I didn’t think you’d care,” Louis admitted huskily, reaching out to squeeze Harry’s hip.

“I do when you’re that good,” the coach praised, clapping Louis’s bicep with a big smile. “Good job, son.”

Louis’s answering beam made Harry a bit light-headed.

Harry’s mum was next, and she praised them both to the skies while pulling them into seemingly endless hugs. As soon as she’d released one of the boys, the other was immediately seized. Harry saw her entire face soften when Louis rested his forehead on her shoulder. She sighed wistfully and pulled away from Louis to keep him at arm’s length. “You’re approved,” she sniffled. With a parting pat to Harry’s curls, she too scurried off, throwing smug smiles over her shoulder as she went.

Both boys were silent for a beat.

“Your plan worked,” Harry said in amazement, finally catching Louis’s eyes. “You did it.”

Louis’s face lit up in a mischievous smirk. “Can I be cheesy?”

Harry shook his head in wonderment, but played along. “Only because you did good.”

“I didn’t do it.” Louis gripped his hand tight. “We did it.”

“Mr. Tomlinson! Mr. Styles!” a dark, female voice called. They didn’t get time to respond. Ms. Darbus was already in front of them. “I have decided to give you the parts,” Harry and Louis started cheering, but Ms. Darbus continued, louder; “I will need to rewrite some bits because of the gender-issue, but it should not be a problem. I will talk to Kelsi and she will fill you in.”

They both thanked her before she too left them.

“Everything is just clicking into place, innit?”

A shrill shriek cut to Harry’s very core. “Oh no.”

“You two stole my spotlight!” Sharpay was yelling before she’d even reached them, but they had no trouble hearing her. Ryan was trailing behind, looking sheepish and apologetic, yet slightly annoyed.

“We didn’t-“ Harry tried, but was cut off.

“You ruined my _streak!_ I can’t _believe_ Ms. Darbus would allow this to happen in _my_ theater!”

“Your theater?” Louis asked, raising a pointed eyebrow. Harry had to tuck his face into Louis’s bicep to muffle his laugh.

“Don’t you start with me Louis Tomlinson! I had plans for us!” Sharpay continued.

When Louis asked; “what plans?” Harry looked up in time to see Ryan shake his head with a horrified look on his face.

“You’re the most popular boy, I’m the most popular girl, we’re a match made in heaven,” Sharpay said quickly, voice devoid of emotion, almost droning, as if this fact was obvious.

Harry thought his face might implode.

“I’m about as straight as a bow, love,” Louis said apologetically and Harry _had_ to snicker, he _had_ to.

Sharpay reeled back as if she’d been slapped. She clutched her purse closer to her chest and with a great huff, turned on her heel with a flourish. Her hair whipped around and smacked Harry in the face, and he got a feeling it was very intentional. Ryan mumbled a quick; “sorry,” before hurrying after Sharpay.

“Straight as a bow?” Harry asked with a snort.

“It was the least straight thing I could think of.”

“What about a rainbow? That would’ve been more fun. More gay.”

“It would be dull, Harold. Too stereotypical.”

“Well then what about a bridge?”

“A bridge can be straight.”

“Whatever.”

 

*********************

 

Practicing for the musical turned out to be even more fun than practicing for the callbacks. When Louis was in a room with that many people, he lit up. He pranced around, throwing jokes left and right, leaving everyone with huge smiles on their faces. But Louis was also a mischievous little bastard, and Harry quickly found himself to be his unwilling partner in crime.

“No one will think this is funny, Lou,” Harry insisted, handing Louis the cheese cream either way because he was so whipped for this boy who wasn’t even his.

“I will,” Louis said with a grin as he perfectly shaped the cream over the deodorant. No one would notice unless they smelled it.

“Everyone will be so mad,” Harry tried again, but Louis wasn’t even listening anymore.

“Done! There’s practice soon, we can do it to Liam’s too before I have to get ready.” Louis jumped up and grabbed Harry’s arm before dragging him away.

“I so don’t approve of this.”

 

*********************

 

“Tommo, I _know_ you did this!” was what greeted Harry, Zayn and Niall in the cafeteria the following day.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Liam,” Louis said innocently. He plopped into the seat beside Harry. “Hey Curly,” he greeted, eyes growing soft when Harry smiled at him.

“Hi Lou. Did he figure us out?”

Liam made a noise as he slipped in next t Zayn. “You were in on it too? _Haz_ ,” he whined.

Louis winched. “Yeah, I was kinda trying to take the fall alone, but please, do join me Harold.”

Before Harry could reply, an entire plate of salad was dumped on his head. “Ex- _cuse_ me.”

Liam sat back in his seat with a satisfied smirk. Zayn and Niall were cackling madly, and Louis was biting his finger in an attempt to hide his laugh.

“Don’t attack the curls, Liam, they’re the only reason we hang out with him,” Louis said in a high-pitched voice. Harry plucked a piece of cucumber out of his hair, and with a shrug, popped it in his mouth.

Louis fell out of his chair with the force of his laughter.

“I hate you all.”

 

*********************

 

Yeah they got detention again. Liam hadn’t turned them in, but some of the participants of the musical had, and Louis had spent about an hour huffing about it.

“These people are our _colleagues_. This show would be _nothing_ without us,” Louis said dramatically. He flung himself onto the table Harry was sitting at with a deep sigh.

“You’re such a diva,” Harry said absentmindedly, scribbling a note in the margin of his notebook to accompany the chapter he was reading in his history book.

“Why aren’t you giving me your full attention? I do not approve of this.” Harry hummed in reply. “What are you doing?”

“Homework.” The book was ripped from his grip and thrown haphazardly over Louis’s shoulder as he sat up. Harry looked up to scold the other boy, and realized they were almost nose-to-nose. They both drew in a sharp breath, and Harry’s eyelids fluttered when Louis released a minty sigh onto his lips.

“Tomlinson! Get to your seat!” the detention-guard yelled, and with a loud curse, Louis scrambled off Harry’s desk.

_Oh my god._

 

*********************

 

Harry and Louis had taken to walking to school together. Louis’s house was only a slight detour away from Harry’s regular path, so he picked him up on the way.

The door was often opened by one of Louis’s numerous sisters, and Harry had gotten to known them all quite well, as Louis was never ready when he arrived.

But Louis’s family wasn’t in town, had gone to visit some relatives, so Harry wasn’t expecting anyone but Louis to open the door.

What he _definitely_ wasn’t expecting, was the door being opened by Sharpay, dressed only in a blanket. Her hair was mussed, and her entire look screamed “ _I just got laid.”_

“Oh, Harry,” she greeted faux cheerily, adjusting the sheet so it wouldn’t slip off her chest. “What are you doing here? Ms. Darbus is sick, school isn’t for another two hours.”

“I uh, I forgot, sorry, I just, yeah-“ With tears stinging in his eyes, Harry took a step back from the door.

Louis came trudging down the hallway, sleepily rubbing his eyes like a toddler, and stopped short when he noticed Harry at the front door. He must’ve noticed Harry’s crestfallen expression, because he instantly looked worried. His eyes then fell upon Sharpay and they widened comically.

“What’s going on?” Louis asked.

“You were… having fun and I interrupted, sorry,” Harry said hoarsely, tears clogging up his throat.

“What? Harry, stop.”

Harry didn’t listen, simply turned on his heel and started running down the sidewalk. He could hear Louis’s bare feet slapping against the pavement, so he made a sharp turn into an alley and prayed Louis wouldn’t find him.

He didn’t.

And so, Harry went home.

 

*********************

 

He didn’t go to school when it finally began that day. He didn’t want to sit there amongst his mates and Louis, and pretend that Louis hadn’t slept with Sharpay. _Of all people, he had to pick Sharpay_ , Harry thought sourly. But of course he would. Sharpay was beautiful, there was no denying that. Maybe a bit too loud, a bit too bitchy, a bit too _pink_ , but she was still gorgeous.

Plus, Louis had _told_ him he was gay, and what, now he suddenly wasn’t? After all the hours Harry had spend in Louis’s company, Louis had never thought to mention it. And how long had it been happening? Was that the first time? Had they been sleeping together all along?

Harry had never felt more betrayed, nor had he ever felt dumber. To actually, genuinely, _think_ that Louis would even _consider_ going out with Harry. It was ridiculous. _Harry_ was ridiculous.

Louis had tried to contact him, of course he had. Calling him, texting him, skyping him. Harry could even swear he heard Louis throw pebbles at his window at one point, but Harry was buried so deep beneath his covers he wasn’t sure.

When Niall called, Harry felt like he at least owed him to pick up the phone, since hadn’t bothered to tell neither him nor Zayn that he wasn’t coming.

“’Ello?” he croaked, clearing his throat immediately.

_“Why are you not here and why does Tommo look like someone killed his little sisters?”_ Well, Niall never was one for subtlety. Or greetings, apparently.

“You can ask him.”

_“Don’t ya think ‘ve tried? He ain’t talking, Haz. Did you break him?”_

“It was more the other way around, really.”

_“Just fucking tell me already._ ”

“Fine. I forgot school wasn’t until 10, so I went to pick Louis up, and Sharpay was there-“

_“Ouch._ ”

“-and she was only wearing a sheet-

_“What the hell?”_

“-and Louis pretended he didn’t even know she was there-“

_“Stop right there.”_ Harry snapped his mouth shut at the suddenly serious tone that Niall rarely used unless someone was about to steal his food. The voice was usually followed by a threat to be decapitated, but, details.

“What?”

_“He didn’t know she was there?”_

“No I said he _pretended_ she wasn’t-“

“ _I have to go, but please come tomorrow.”_

“Yeah, alright.”

Niall promptly hung up. _Great._

 

*********************

 

Louis stopped calling him immediately after he’d talked to Niall. He didn’t quite know what to make of that.

And really, he should’ve seen it coming. But Louis stumbling through his unlocked patio doors, hair sticking in all directions, eyes wild and a Tupperware container of chocolate-covered strawberries still startled him so badly he fell of his bed with a loud ‘thud’.

“Oops,” Louis said dumbly, throwing the strawberries on the bed as he offered a hand to Harry.

“I’m not saying hi to you,” mumbled Harry, ignoring Louis’s outstretched hand in favor of stumbling to his feet.

When Harry looked up, Louis’s face was pinched up in hurt, and Harry felt a sharp stab of guilt, until the memory of Sharpay in that sheet popped into his head again, and all he felt was humiliated and angry.

Harry dropped down onto his bed and propped himself up against the headboard. When Louis joined him, he resolutely let his head loll to the other side so he couldn’t see the athlete.

“Strawberry?” Louis offered tentatively, and Harry took one, if only to rid the hesitancy from Louis’s voice.

It didn’t belong there. Louis was always confident.

“Are you going to let me explain what happened?”

Harry shrugged as he swallowed the bite in his mouth. “There’s nothing to explain. And it’s not like I have any right to feel mad or anything. Which is why I’m not.” Harry shrugged again, as if that would make him come off as more nonchalant. Louis saw right through it.

“Of course you can be mad, Haz. But there’s nothing to mad about. I didn’t even know she was there.”

That had Harry’s face whip around so suddenly his neck cracked. Louis winched in sympathy, but Harry didn’t even register it. “I call bullshit.”

Louis shook his head adamantly. “I didn’t! You know I’m a heavy sleeper. I came down when I heard you knock, and she was just there. Don’t you think I would’ve told you if I suddenly decided I wasn’t gay? And why, if I was straight -which I am in fact not- would I choose _Sharpay_?”

Harry quieted immensely as he stared at the strawberry Louis was idly twisting around. “I don’t know,” he admitted at last. He noticed Louis throwing the strawberry on his bed, and was just about to protest when suddenly, there was a hand cupping his jaw and lips covering his.

Louis tasted faintly like strawberries and chocolate, despite one never entering his mouth, and Harry suddenly got the wholly unnecessary picture of Louis making sure the strawberries were good enough for Harry.

But then the lips and the taste was gone, and Harry realized with a start that he had never gotten around to actually kissing Louis back. So when the other boy made a move to get off the bed with an apology thrown over his shoulder, Harry grabbed the collar of his shirt and smashed their lips together.

Louis made a muffled noise before sinking back down on the bed and relaxing into the kiss. He quickly took the lead as his tongue nudged against Harry’s plumb lower lip, and with a sigh, Harry parted his lips. Louis wasted no time in exploring his mouth, and Harry tried to keep up with the strokes of his tongue, but ended up just sitting back on his haunches and taking whatever Louis would give him.

When they parted, it was with a slick sound that made Harry gasp.

“I’ve wanted to do that ever since we sang together at that stupid ski resort,” Louis admitted quietly, stroking Harry’s cheekbone reverently.

Harry hummed and nuzzled into the warmth of Louis’s palm with a smile. “You really are my little kitten, aren’t you?”

“I can be, if you want me to?” Harry offered, looking up at Louis through his lashes.

“Fuck yeah,” Louis breathed, before connecting their mouth’s together. “You know, no one is home at my place. Maybe we could snog without anyone catching us there,” Louis said when they pulled back.

“Yeah, yeah I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on Tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot!


	9. The end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it folks! Thanks a lot for reading, you're all very great and I love you. Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. 
> 
> This chapter is basically just some smut and a tiny bit of fluff and some Ziam, so, yeah.

With a hasty excuse thrown at Harry’s mother, they tore off to Louis’s house. Louis managed to open the door, and once inside, Harry was immediately pushed up against it. Harry wriggled his hips until Louis slipped a thigh in between his legs and grinded upwards, and Harry keened at the friction in his jeans.

“Your room,” Harry panted, pushing at Louis’s shoulders weakly.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, yeah, c’mon.” Louis nodded and grabbed Harry’s wrist, before dashing up the stairs and into his room.

Before Harry could shake the haziness from his mind, Louis was shoving at his chest, until the back of his knees hit the bed. With a shriek, Harry fell back onto the bed, giggling as Louis crawled over him.

“What’s so funny?” Louis asked, ducking his head to suck a bruise into Harry’s neck. When his teeth grazed Harry’s skin, Harry’s hands flew up to clutch at Louis’s shoulders.

“Uungh,” Harry said in reply. Louis urged him to lift off the bed so he could pull his shirt off and throw it to the floor. Harry fell back on the bed.

Louis experimentally flicked one of Harry’s nipples, and Harry’s reply was caught in his throat. “Answer me, darlin’,” Louis sing-songed.

Harry opened his mouth to stammer out an appeasing answer, but then Louis wrapped his lips around Harry’s nipple, and he forgot his own name. Nimble fingertips dragged over his overheated skin as Louis continued to suckle. He continued for so long that Harry couldn’t decide whether he wanted to arch into it or away from it.

“Lou, Lou, Lou,” Harry babbled uselessly, tugging at Louis’s hair.

“Fine,” Louis said almost reverently as he pulled off with a slurping noise. Harry may have moaned a bit.

Louis whipped his t-shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. “Have you tried this before?”

Harry shook his head quickly. If he wasn’t already so worked up, he’d be embarrassed, but he was otherwise occupied with racking his eyes over Louis’s exposed torso.

“And you’re sure you want this?” Harry nodded. “Alright.”

Louis removed himself from the bed, and Harry whimpered pathetically. “Easy kitten, I’m on my way.”

A condom and a bottle of lube was disposed next to Harry’s head as Louis shrugged out of his jeans. His pants were tented obscenely as he returned to his position of hovering over Harry. He brushed a thumb down Harry’s cheekbone and to his bottom lip. Harry couldn’t resist sucking the tip of the digit into his mouth, groaning around it. Harry’s eyes fluttered shut as Louis pushed his finger in a bit further.

“I thought you said you’d never done this before,” Louis rasped, already sounding blown away.

Harry pulled off with a wet ‘pop’. “I haven’t.”

Louis swore. “I’m in for one hell of a ride,” he said as his hand trailed down Harry stomach, nail digging in ever so slightly. An angry red trail was left behind in its wake, and Harry whined. When Louis finally reached his trousers, he popped the button open and pushed them down Harry’s thighs as far as he could. Harry helped him shuck them the rest of the way off, and when Louis’s eyes fell down to take in more of his skin, they widened.

“Where’s your _pants_?” he asked, staring at Harry’s cock as it curved upwards.

“Didn’t feel like wearing them,” Harry told him brazenly.

Louis shook his head with something like awe in his eyes, before pushing his own pants off and letting them join the rapidly growing pile of clothes on the floor. He opened the bottle of lube with a satisfying snick, that had Harry sinking back into the mattress.

“Just, relax and let me take care of you,” Louis instructed. Harry nodded breathlessly, eyes flittering between Louis’s face and his fingers, which were warming up the lube.

Louis’s beauty struck him right in that moment, as he hovered above Harry, staring down at him with adoration and love. His fringe was flopping into his eyes, his pupils were blown wide, and his lips were slightly parted, little pants escaping him. Harry couldn’t resist. He curled a hand around the back of Louis’s neck and dragged him down, into a passionate kiss. While Harry was distracted with Louis’s tongue fucking into his mouth, the tip of Louis’s finger suddenly breached his hole.

Harry focused on the kiss, on the taste of his _boyfriend_ , as Louis pushed the digit in to the last knuckle.

“Alright?” he checked.

“Yeah,” Harry breathed honestly, rocking his hips down onto Louis’s finger. “Move.”

Louis complied easily, dragging the finger in and out of Harry slowly, until he deemed him ready for another.

He started fucking him in earnest, then, punching in and out of Harry’s hole, crooking and scissoring whenever he felt like it. Harry was whining, thrashing underneath Louis, fists clenched in the sheets. Louis added a third finger for good measure, and with a wicked glint in his eye, he crooked just right, rubbing along Harry’s walls until he found a spot that made Harry wail. He rubbed relentlessly, and Harry struggled to form words.

“Lou, now, I- _hmph_ , I’ll come,” he warned.

“Then come for me baby.” And now really, that was just _unfair._

“No, no wanna come on your cock,” Harry insisted, and he heard rather than saw Louis suck in a quick breath.

“Yeah, yeah,” Louis babbled. He pumped his fingers in and out of Harry a few more times until he deemed him ready, pulling out and wiping his fingers on the sheets. When Louis grabbed for the condom, Harry snatched it out of his hands with a shake of his head. He ripped the package open and rolled it over Louis, tugging on his cock a few times, drawing a low moan out of Louis, whose head fell forward.

In the end, Louis smacked Harry’s hand away. He guided his cock to Harry’s stretched hole, and slowly pushed the tip in. Harry squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. Louis leaned forward to kiss both of Harry’s closed eyelids, which caused him to slip in a bit further. A mix of pain and pleasure had Harry shivering underneath the smaller boy.

“You alright?” Louis asked, eyes dazed and unfocused. He was clearly holding himself back, and Harry’s heart grew to twice it’s size in his chest at the genuine worry pulling the corners of Louis’ mouth down.

“Yeah, just, go slow,” Harry squeaked.

“Of course,” Louis assured, linking their fingers together and raising them above Harry’s head, so his torso was spread out for Louis. The other boy leaned down to kiss over Harry’s chest as he sunk in further. Harry grunted, and Louis leaned up to kiss him as a distraction. When he finally bottomed out, hips flush against Harry’s arse, Harry was writhing against the sheets. On one hand, the pain was _awful_ , but on the other hand, he had never felt so _full_. And with Louis’ adoring gaze on him, he’d never felt more loved either.

When the pain had subsided to a barely-there twinge, he nodded at Louis. The athlete stared at him for a few beats, searching Harry’s face to make sure he was being serious. Finally, he pulled out bit by bit, until only the tip was still buried in Harry. Without warning, Louis slammed forwards, hard. Harry moaned high in his throat, arching off the bed.

Louis build up a steady rhythm from there, long, languid fucks that had Harry mewling and moaning his name. Louis was _everywhere_ , his musky scent surrounding Harry, reminding him of _home_ , his blue eyes electric as he did his best to keep eye contact with Harry, raising an eyebrow in question to make sure Harry was still okay, and Harry keened at that, fucking himself back on Louis’ cock for the first time. Louis swore loudly. “So good for me, Haz, so beautiful like this, take my cock so well, don’t you kitten?”

“Faster, c’mon Lou, know you can do it faster,” Harry said in response, wrapping his legs around Louis’ waist, digging his heels into the small of Louis’ back to get him to move _faster_ and _deeper_.

Louis grabbed Harry’s ankles, bending his legs in half so Harry could almost kiss his own knees. Louis smirked wickedly, before picking up his pace pounding into Harry relentlessly. Harry was in the middle of telling Louis how good it was, when Louis’ cock nailed his prostrate straight on.

“Fuck, _fuck!_ There, don’t stop, please,” Harry begged, head thrown back against the pillow.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Louis said, and at the sound of his rough voice, Harry clenched around him unconsciously. Louis groaned loudly. “Need you to come for me, think you can do that?”

Harry nodded quickly, even sweaty and needy and moaning Louis’ name, he wanted to please the other boy more than anything else. Just as Louis hit his prostate particularly hard, he curled a fist around Harry’s leaking cock and _squeezed_ , and Harry screamed as his orgasm was ripped from him.

Louis fucked him through it, kissing him with no finesse as he chased his own orgasm. Harry went limp, let Louis use his body to find his own pleasure. “Feel so good, Lou, _so good_ ,” Harry said around a moan, and that was all it took. With a broken cry, Louis collapsed forward onto Harry’s chest as he spilled into the condom.

“Holy mother of fuck,” he cursed when he came down from his high. Like a gentlemen, he dragged himself off Harry’s body, tying the condom and throwing it out before getting a flannel to wipe Harry down with.

“Going to do it without a condom someday, Haz. Want to see my come dripping down your thighs,” Louis told him almost absentmindedly as he threw the flannel to the floor and let Harry curl into his chest. Harry did so with a sigh, and kissed Louis’ chest gratefully.

“Thanks Lou, so great,” he praised.

“You too baby. Let’s get some sleep, yeah?” Harry couldn’t even bother with a response, only managed to twine his and Louis’ legs together before sleep dragged him under.

 

*********************

 

Waking up with a naked Louis draped over his chest was definitely not the worst way to start off a morning. Waking _Louis_ up with a blowjob was an even _better_ way to start off a morning.

“We should get up now,” Harry rasped afterwards, grinning at a panting Louis.

“Fuck you,” Louis said airily, cracking an eye open to glower at Harry.

“Gosh Lou, I just blew you, when are you going to be satisfied?” Harry said accompanied by a tsk.

Louis groaned and flung an arm over his eyes. “Whatever happened to my little innocent boy?”

“He had sex,” Harry said matter-of-factly, slapping at Louis’ tummy before attempting to stand up. He yelped and sat back down when his arse protested, a soreness settling that the blanket of sleep had kept hidden from him. “Uh,” he said eloquently.

Louis removed his arm. “What?”

“I’m sore,” Harry told him, almost awed. He didn’t think it would get him going, but the thought of feeling Louis every time he as much as moved a muscle had him writhing on the soiled sheets.

Louis’ pupils dilated slightly as Harry started fattening up, but then the arousal was replaced by mirth, and Harry knew he wouldn’t like whatever was about to come out of his mouth. “Well, I’d repay you, but we have to get up now, don’t we?”

“Fuck you.”

“All in due time, my love, all in due time.”

 

*********************

 

So yeah, _maybe_ Harry was walking with a limp, and _maybe_ he had hickeys peeking out from the collar of his shirt, and it was _awesome._

He and Louis met up with their friends before the first class started, and they all immediately zeroed in on Harry. Liam’s eyes then flashed to Louis in worry, as if he thought it was someone else who’d done this to Harry, but when he found the other boy smirking, he started laughing. Niall and Zayn were too busy gauging at Harry to see the exchange, and they startled at Liam’s outburst.

“What’s going on?” Zayn asked, eyes flickering from Harry’s throat to his eyes.

“Well-“ Harry started, but Louis was quick to cut in.

“I fucked Harry’s brains out,” he said cheekily, waggling his eyebrows.

“ _Louis!_ ” Harry hissed as the rest started laughing.

“Give it a second and he’ll start blushin’,” Niall cackled, and right he was. Harry flushed all the way from the roots of his hair to his chest, but he was smiling, and Louis was staring, so it wasn’t that bad. Especially not when Louis leaned over to peck his lips.

“Oh god they’re already gross,” Liam moaned just as Zayn slapped a hand over Niall’s eyes and cried: “There are children present!”

Louis laughed and tucked himself under Harry’s arm, kissing his chest over his shirt.

“You’re _together_ now?!” a shrill voice rung out, and Harry didn’t need more than one guess.”

“We are indeed,” Louis told Sharpay, pressing a fingertip to one of the bruises on Harry’s throat with a mocking smile.

Sharpay gasped and cut in front of Zayn, Liam and Niall. “I thought you were straight!” she yelled at Louis, and by now, a small crowd had gathered.

“Sorry love, I’ve told you countless times that I wasn’t. And if you watch Harold here attempt to walk, you’ll be one hundred percent sure.”

The crowd laughed as Sharpay’s nose scrunched up. “Why?”

Everything went silent and then Harry was laughing. And he just _couldn’t. Stop._ Niall joined of course, because he always did, and as soon as Niall laughed, everyone was laughing. Harry and Louis were leaning against each other heavily and when Harry finally caught his breath, he noticed Liam and Zayn were doing the same. He was _so_ going to drill Zayn later, but he figured he would be drilled about Louis… drilling Harry first.

With a loud scoff, Sharpay turned on her heel and headed for the school. Zayn and Liam were still hanging off each other, and Harry caught Louis’ eye before jerking his chin in their direction. Louis smiled largely.

“Zayn, Liam, when are you guys going out?”

Liam straightened immediately and he shook his head at Louis, pale as a ghost, while Zayn asked: “going out?” confused as ever.

“Yeah, I mean, you’re both crazy about each other, when is that date going to happen?”

“Saturday if Liam is alright with it,” Zayn said, cool as a cucumber, to everyone’s surprise.

“W-what?” Liam stuttered.

“Liam, do you want to go on a date with me?” Zayn asked, all brilliant smile and twinkling eyes.

“Y-yeah, uh, I’d love to.” Before Harry could coo, Niall was groaning.

“I feel so alone,” he moaned, dramatically falling into Louis’ arms. Louis laughed and poked Niall’s cheek, which had an ugly feeling settling in Harry’s stomach. Harry tried to shrug it off, but this thing with Louis was just so _new_ – not even 24 hours old yet – and despite their talk the day before, Harry wasn’t sure of _anything_. Maybe Louis wasn’t as serious about this as Harry was, how would he _know_?

With a grunt, Louis pushed Niall off, and immediately curled into Harry’s chest, nipping at the skin of his throat, just under one of the bruises. Harry’s eyes fluttered shut, and he let his head fall so his curls were giving them a little bit of privacy.

“If they start shagging in the parking lot I’m leaving,” Zayn said to the others, and Louis detached himself with a chuckle.

“You’re just jealous because Harry is mine,” Louis growled playfully, but when his eyes met Harry’s again, there was something indescribably loving in his gaze, that had all worries seeping out of Harry just like that.

“I like being yours,” Harry admitted quietly, only meant for Louis to hear. The athlete softened even further, lifting up on his toes to kiss Harry, long and sweet.

“I like being yours, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two and a half months almost. That's crazy. I remember starting this. I feel like it was yesterday. Either way! If you have something you want me to write or something, come say hi on tumblr! I'm exorcisms-are-hot!

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on tumblr! I'm, surprisingly, exorcisms-are-hot!


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